Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

Ciara O'Rourke
By Ciara O'Rourke February 25, 2022

Old footage of Russian planes mischaracterized amid new conflict

If Your Time is short

  • A video of planes flying in formation shows a rehearsal for Russia’s Victory Day celebration in 2020, not aircraft involved in the country’s current conflict with Ukraine. 

 

See the sources for this fact-check

Plane after plane after plane zooms overhead in formation against a cloudy sky in a video that’s being shared on social media as Russia invades Ukraine. 

"#Propogenda war starts," one post sharing the video wrote, misspelling propaganda. "#Ukraine claims #shot down of Russian fighter planes. #Russia bombs Ukraine air port and other #military installations." 

"#BREAKING #WorldNews," another post said. "Russia Attacks Ukraine,

5 Russian planes, 1 helicopter shot down in Luhansk, says Ukraine #worldwar3."

But this footage is nearly two years old. Posts sharing this video were flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

A reverse image search turns up videos with the same recordings from May 4, 2020, when, the Moscow Times said in a YouTube post, 74 Russian military planes and helicopters flew over Moscow to rehearse for the country’s Victory Day celebration. 

We rate claims that the footage shows the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine False.

 

Read About Our Process

The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter

Our Sources

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Ciara O'Rourke

Old footage of Russian planes mischaracterized amid new conflict

Load more

Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!

In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.

Sign me up