A post shared on social media purportedly shows a recent image of the Kremlin without electricity due to U.S. sanctions.

Moscow remains dark due to severe electricity shortage — rosZMI

The reason is difficulties in servicing foreign turbines at russian thermal power plants due to Western sanctions. pic.twitter.com/O3oMLnp42C

— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) August 22, 2024

Verdict: False

The image is from 2014 when power was cut for Climate Change awareness.

Fact Check:

The U.S. has instated sanctions on several countries, including Russia itself, in effort to curb Russian war efforts, The Associated Press reported. Chinese companies were targeted by U.S. sanctions, sanctions which China voiced opposition to, for their alleged support of Russia in the war in Ukraine.

A post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, purports that Russia was forced to cut power to certain buildings in Moscow because of the effects on the U.S. sanctions. The photo shows very large and ornate buildings with no lights on.

“Moscow remains dark due to severe electricity shortage — rosZMI,” the caption reads. “The reason is difficulties in servicing foreign turbines at russian thermal power plants due to Western sanctions.”

The claim is inaccurate. The image is from 2014. The photo was taken during a Climate Change awareness event when the Kremlin cut power to buildings. A Russian news outlet shared the image at the time and reported the “Earth Hour” action.

Google translated the article as, “On Saturday evening, the center of Moscow will be plunged into darkness — the capital will join the global action ‘Earth Hour.’ At exactly 8:30 pm, the Kremlin lights will be turned off, the illumination of GUM will go out, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge will disappear into the twilight. The lights on Red Square will only come on an hour later.” (RELATED: Washington Post Did Not Publish Article About Sikh Separatist Leader Faking Attack)

This is not the first time misinformation has circulated online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim an image showed Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a bomb shelter.