FACT CHECK: Video Does Not Show T-90 Tank Captured In Recent Fighting
A video shared on Twitter claims to show a T-90 tank captured in recent fighting in the Belgorod raid.
You’ve heard the saying that Russia were thought to be the 2nd army of the world.
Then we found out they’re the second army in Ukraine.
But…. Now, they’re the second army in Russia also! 😂
The Legion Freedom of Russia are doing well!
They’ve also managed to capture a T90 pic.twitter.com/bQdDvfxMg9
— Sytheruk (@Sytheruk) May 23, 2023
Verdict: False
While the origin of the video is not known, the tank is a previously recorded loss from September 2022.
Fact Check:
Ukrainian-aligned Russian fighters crossed the Ukrainian-Russian border and attacked several Russian checkpoints, according to Reuters. This included members of the Freedom of Russia Legion and claims to fight under Ukrainian command, the outlet reported.
The Twitter video shows a T-90 with Ukrainian military markings painted over Russian symbols. (RELATED: Did The Leaked Pentagon Documents Show Ukraine Suffered 71,000 Dead?)
“You’ve heard the saying that Russia were thought to be the 2nd army of the world. Then we found out they’re the second army in Ukraine. But…. Now, they’re the second army in Russia also! 😂 The Legion Freedom of Russia are doing well! They’ve also managed to capture a T90,” reads the tweet.
However, there is no evidence that a T-90 tank was captured during the recent fighting. Check Your Fact could not find any reporting indicating that a T-90 tank was captured recently. A claimed representative for the Freedom of Russia Legion told Newsweek that the group captured four BTR-82 armored personnel carriers.
It appears that the tank was captured in September 2022 by Ukrainian forces. At the beginning of the video, a 93 can be seen with a cross painted over. An image posted by WarSpotting shows the same 93 painted over the Russian Z symbol.
Yes, it’s a September 2022 loss from Oskil, Kharkiv Oblast. https://t.co/IgzVr9Be6e
— Naalsio (@naalsio26) May 23, 2023
Oryx, a military analysis website that tracks losses in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, maintains a list of vehicle losses suffered by both sides in the Belgorod border incursion. It lists four losses on the Russian side, none of which are a T-90.
Check Your Fact reached out to the Freedom of Russia Legion for comment and will update this article.