FACT CHECK: Video Claims NATO Troops Are Deployed In Ukraine
A video shared on Facebook claims that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops are deployed in Ukraine.
Verdict: Misleading
While some NATO countries allegedly have troops in the country, they are not actively fighting against Russia. NATO as a whole is not in conflict with Russia.
Fact Check:
Social media users are claiming that NATO troops are deployed to Ukraine. One video caption reads, “HUGE WW3 DEVELOPMENT: NATO TROOPS DEPLOYED TO UKRAINE.”
This claim, however, is misleading. A NATO spokesperson denied the alliance had troops in Ukraine to PolitiFact. NATO also says on its website that it is not sending troops to Ukraine. (RELATED: Video Claims To Show Anti-Ukraine Protests In Canada)
“NATO’s actions are defensive, designed not to provoke conflict but to prevent conflict. The Alliance has a responsibility to ensure that this war does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine, which would be even more devastating and dangerous. Enforcing a no-fly zone would bring NATO forces into direct conflict with Russia. This would significantly escalate the war and lead to more human suffering and destruction for all countries involved,” NATO says on its website.
NATO countries do have troops in Ukraine, though there is no evidence that they are fighting against Russia. BBC News reported that the leaked Pentagon documents show that several NATO countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom and Latvia, have special forces in Ukraine. The Intercept reported in October 2022 that the U.S. was conducting operations for a covert presidential fact-finding mission.
US troops in Ukraine are eligible for hazard pay, according to the Military Times. U.S. troops are guarding the embassy and helping keep an account of the billions of dollars of weapons that the U.S. has sent to Ukraine, the outlet reported.