FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show The Aftermath Of A Russian Attack On Ukrainian Forces?
A video shared on Twitter claims to show the aftermath of a Russian attack on Ukrainian forces.
A large quantity of AFU military equipment destroyed due to RuAF storming pic.twitter.com/2GUnyGOFWT
— Trollstoy (@Trollstoy88) January 20, 2023
Verdict: False
The video shows a training ground in Ukraine. Other videos show the same destroyed vehicles at different times.
Fact Check:
Ukraine and Russia have suffered heavy casualties since Russia invaded in February 2022, according to France 24. Norway’s army chief estimated that Russia has suffered around 180,000 casualties while Ukraine has suffered around 100,000, the outlet reported.
The Twitter video, which has over 200,000 views, claims to show destroyed Ukrainian equipment, including a Husky tactical vehicle donated by the U.K. The video’s caption reads, “A large quantity of AFU military equipment destroyed due to RuAF storming.”
However, the video appears to show a Ukrainian training ground near the city of Zhytomyr. Several images and videos of the training ground have been posted on social media prior to the tweet. For example, a video of the training ground was shared in November, showing the same destroyed Husky vehicle as the one in the Twitter video. (RELATED: Did Russia Have ‘To Stop All Attacks’?)
The same polygon in the green season. pic.twitter.com/SdLilPOxp8
— 301 Military (@301military) November 20, 2022
Another account, @Tendar, geolocated the training grounds when addressing the video on Twitter.
There is currently a video circulating in Z-channels claiming a “successful airstrike by Russia”.
But it is an Ukrainian training ground near Zhytomyr.
Coordinates:50°11’4.21″N, 28°32’6.40″E
It is that bad for them that Russians apparently need some moral-booster videos. pic.twitter.com/SMMEGGJUhP
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) January 21, 2023
“There is currently a video circulating in Z-channels claiming a “successful airstrike by Russia.” But it is a Ukrainian training ground near Zhytomyr. Coordinates: 50°11’4.21″N, 28°32’6.40″E,” reads Tendar’s tweet.
Check Your Fact, using Google Earth, confirmed the accuracy of the coordinates shared by Tendar. The training area is around 15km from Zhytomyr City, according to Google Maps.