FACT CHECK: Did Ukraine Destroy Dozens Of Russian Tanks In Belgorod?
A video shared on Facebook claims Ukraine destroyed dozens of Russian tanks in Belgorod, Russia.
Verdict: False
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has not claimed the destruction of dozens of tanks since the raids started earlier this month. Only a few vehicles have been confirmed destroyed or captured in the raids.
Fact Check:
Ukraine shelled two Russian settlements near its border with Russia May 30, according to Radio Free Liberty/Free Europe. The regional governor claimed Ukrainian shelling killed one security guard and wounded two civilians, the outlet reported.
The Facebook video, viewed more than 68,000 times, claims Ukraine killed 100 army personnel with artillery and dozens of tanks. The video’s caption reads, “Today : Ukrainian artillery fire destroy hundred Russian army and dozens tanks in Belgorod.”
This caption, though, is misleading. There is no evidence that Ukraine has destroyed dozens of tanks in Belgorod. If it had, media outlets would have covered it, yet none have. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has not released statements indicating it has destroyed dozens of tanks in the region or in the city.
Ukraine has also not claimed the destruction of “dozens” of tanks across all of Ukraine. On May 23 it claimed to have destroyed 3,789 tanks. On May 30, a week after the first raids, the Defense Ministry announced Ukraine had destroyed 3802 tanks, a total of 13 tanks in a week span. (RELATED: Did The Leaked Pentagon Documents Show Ukraine Suffered 71,000 Dead?)
Oryx, a military analysis website that tracks equipment losses in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, does not list any tanks that were destroyed in the Belgorod fighting. WarSpotting, a website that also tracks losses, does not list any tanks destroyed in the Belgorod fighting.
Misinformation around the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is not new. Check Your Fact recently debunked a video claiming to show a Russian T-90 captured during the recent border fighting.
