FACT CHECK: Does This Image Prove The Russian-Ukrainian Conflict Is Fake?
An image shared on Facebook claims the Russian-Ukrainian war is fake because of an apartment building being reconstructed within a year.
Verdict: False
The building was damaged by a Russian missile strike. It was later repaired throughout the war, according to local media. There are several images and videos depicting the war.
Fact Check:
Kyiv has been hit by missile strikes and drones throughout the war, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ukraine has received western air defense systems in response to the Russian attacks, the New Voice of Ukraine reported.
The image, a Twitter screenshot, shows a damaged high-rise building juxtaposed with the same building, but undamaged. The tweet then reads, “The war is fake!” The claim, along with the marked dates on both photos, implies that the building was never damaged and the first image is altered.
The claim, though, misconstrues what occurred. Media outlets covered the initial Russian missile that hit the building, which was in Kyiv, according to BBC News. For example, Trey Yingst, a Fox News foreign correspondent, tweeted a video of him from February 2022 showing him reporting on the initial damage to the building.
February 26th, 2022. Geolocation and timestamp included below.
A lot of misinformation about the war is spreading on Twitter lately. https://t.co/IiZVaiSKST pic.twitter.com/8JUWfvTvwD
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) February 26, 2023
“February 26th, 2022. Geolocation and timestamp included below. A lot of misinformation about the war is spreading on Twitter lately,” Yingst tweeted. (RELATED: Is The UK Home Office Searching For Two Girls That Have Joined The War In Ukraine?)
The building was later repaired throughout the war. Ukrainian media, such as The Village, reported on the process, which started in May 2022. The building’s exterior was extensively repaired, with one October 2022 article from Ukraine-based outlet Vechirniy reporting on how builders restored plumbing and electricity.
Misinformation around the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is not new. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim that the United Kingdom’s Home Office was looking for two girls that joined a Ukrainian unit.
