Authors
Ruby leads editorial, operations and initiatives at Newschecker. In her former avatar at New Delhi Television (NDTV), India’s leading national news network, she was a news anchor, supervising producer and senior output editor. Her over a decade-long career encompasses ground-breaking reportage from conflict zones and reporting on terror incidents, election campaigns, and gender issues. Ruby is an Emmy-nominated producer and has handled both local and international assignments, including the coverage of Arab Spring in 2011, the US Presidential elections in 2016, and ground reportage on the Kashmir issue since 2009.
Claim
Former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna has joined Ukraine’s army to defend her country against Russia.
Fact
In the wake of the #RussiaUkraineConflict, multiple instances of false claims including old visuals have gone viral on social media. With Ukraine’s government urging its citizens to pick up arms and join the fight against Russian soldiers present on Ukrainian soil, many social media users, as well as news channels, have shared images of former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna claiming that she has joined Ukraine’s army to defend her country against Russia.
Multiple images are being shared with the same claim showing Lenna, who represents Ukraine in Miss Grand International 2015, in her model avatar, dressed up in luxurious dresses and gowns. However, some of the images that Lena herself posted on her Instagram account where she can be seen holding a gun have also gone viral. Newschecker has found the claim to be false.
following her images going viral, Lenna posted a clarification on her official Instagram account on February 28, with the title “I AM NOT A MILITARY, JUST A HUMAN” She further says that “Due current situation I want to talk!”. She clarified that she plays airsoft- a combat game in which players use special airsoft guns to shoot soft pellets at their opponents. Lenna has clarified that her photographs posted over the last few days where she can be seen holding a gun are from the game. She says “All pictures in my profile to inspire people.I had a normal life just on Wednesday, like millions people.
I don’t do any propaganda except showing that our woman of Ukraine – strong, confident and powerful. I appreciate all attention and support to my country, all people in Ukraine we fight every day against Russian aggression.”
Result: Misleading Content/Partly False
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Authors
Ruby leads editorial, operations and initiatives at Newschecker. In her former avatar at New Delhi Television (NDTV), India’s leading national news network, she was a news anchor, supervising producer and senior output editor. Her over a decade-long career encompasses ground-breaking reportage from conflict zones and reporting on terror incidents, election campaigns, and gender issues. Ruby is an Emmy-nominated producer and has handled both local and international assignments, including the coverage of Arab Spring in 2011, the US Presidential elections in 2016, and ground reportage on the Kashmir issue since 2009.
