Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Old Videos From Crimea Shared As Massive Explosions In Moscow

Ukraine executed a major attack on multiple Russian air bases, hitting 41 military aircraft on Sunday. The Russian Ministry of Defence acknowledged the strikes on airfields in the regions of Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur. In this backdrop, a video allegedly showing massive explosions in Moscow, the capital city of Russia, has gone viral on social media platforms. Newschecker, however, found it to be untrue. 

Such posts can be seen here and here.

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Fact Check/Verification

On carefully analysing the viral footage, we found it to be a compilation of two different clips and investigated them one-by-one.

Video 1

A Google Lens search on the viral clip led us to a report by The Guardian, dated December 26, 2023, carrying the same footage showing a massive explosion. “Ukraine’s military has said it has destroyed a Russian landing ship stationed in the Crimean port city of Feodosia, with video footage showing an extensive fire in the port area. The air force said it struck the Novocherkassk navy ship, which was stationed in Crimean waters controlled by Russia,” the report stated.

We also found a report by the BBC, dated December 27, 2023, displaying the viral video, and corroborating that the Ukrainian forces have carried out a missile strike on the port of Feodosia in Crimea and damaged a Russian warship. 

The Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the large landing ship Novocherkassk was struck and damaged by Ukrainian aircraft carrying guided missiles, it added. The Russian authorities in Crimea said that one person was killed, and several others were hurt in the attack.

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Novocherkassk is a large landing ship that can be used for transporting soldiers as well as tanks and armoured vehicles, stated an Al Jazeera report on the December 2023 attack. “Kyiv said it suspected the ship was transporting Iranian-made explosive drones that Russia has used regularly to attack Ukraine since it began its full scale invasion in February 2022,” it added.

Video 2

We looked up the keyframes of the viral clip on Google which led us to a report by Daily Mail, dated October 11, 2024, titled “Towering inferno with 200ft high flames erupts at Russian oil refinery after Ukrainian missile strike.” 

Carrying the same footage, it stated, “Huge explosions continue to rock a vast oil terminal in Russian-controlled Crimea after being targeted in a Ukrainian missile strike.”

Another report by Kanal13, dated October 11, 2024, displayed the same video, and mentioned about a fire that erupted at an oil base in Crimea’s Feodosia following a Ukrainian drone strike on October 7 still continues. “Another explosion occurred in a fuel tank at the base on the evening of October 10. The images of the explosion and fire were captured and shared by local residents,” it added.

The video was also shared by Ukraine-based KyivPost in an X post, dated October 11, 2024, also identifying it to be from an oil facility in Crimea. 

Following the October 7, 2024 strike on a major oil terminal in Crimea, the Ukraine’s General Staff reportedly said that the facility in Feodosia, on the south coast of the Russia-occupied Crimea Peninsula, has been supplying the Russian army with fuel and that the strike was part of an ongoing effort to “undermine the military and economic potential of the Russian Federation,” reported the AP.

The distance between Moscow and the Crimean peninsula can be seen below. Notably, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. 

Further, we did not find any credible reports on a recent Ukrainian attack on the Russian capital, Moscow. 

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Conclusion

Hence, we find that the viral posts claiming to show a massive explosion in Moscow were false. 

Sources
Report By The Guardian, Dated December 26, 2023
YouTube Video By BBC, Dated December 27, 2023
Report By Al Jazeera, Dated December 26, 2023
Report by Daily Mail, Dated October 11, 2024
YouTube Video By Kanal13, Dated October 11 2024
X Post By KyivPost, Dated October 11, 2024
Report By AP, Dated October 7, 2024