Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Despite a series of sanctions, diplomatic pressure, widespread international criticism and the recent UN resolution condemning Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories, Putin’s military invasion of Ukraine continues unabatedly. In this backdrop, a video showing night-time visuals of a convoy of tanks being hit by missiles is going viral on social media platforms. Those who shared the footage claim it shows Ukrainian forces targeting and destroying the Russian tanks with American Javelin missiles. Newschecker found that though the US has supplied javelin missiles to Ukraine to defend itself from Russia, the viral video is actually gaming footage.
Several Facebook users shared the video claiming to show Ukraine attacking Russian tanks with American FGM- 148 Javelin missiles.
Links to such posts can be found here, here and here.
The shorter version of the video is going viral on Twitter.
Links to such tweets can be found here, here and here.
Newschecker also received the same video on our WhatsApp tipline (+91-9999499044) requesting to be fact checked.
Latest On Russian Invasion Of Ukraine:
Russia’s full scale military invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, entered its 239th day on Thursday. Ths Russian side has been able to take complete control of four Ukrainian provinces so far, and President Putin has declared martial law in these territories . Putin has also ordered an “economic mobilisation” in six provinces that border Ukraine, plus Crimea and Sevastopol. Russia has also warned the United Nations against investigating its alleged strikes by Iranian-made drones in Ukraine.
On the other front, Ukrainian President Zelensky spoke of “significant results” in downing ‘Iranian drones’, and claimed that 233 Shahed UAVs and dozens of missiles were shot down during the month. Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitschko also claimed that several Russian missiles were shot down over the city on Wednesday.
Also Read: Yet Again! Gaming Footage Passed Off As Russia’s Attack On Ukraine
Fact Check/Verification
We started our investigation by scanning through the comment sections of the social media posts carrying the viral video and noticed several users pointing out that the clip is actually a gaming footage from ARMA -3.
Further, on carefully analysing the video we did spot a missile heading for a tank at the counters of 38 seconds.
Taking a clue, we conducted a keyword search for “ARMA 3,” & “missile destroyed tank” on Google which led us to a video uploaded on YouTube channel Cropper, dated August 9, 2022, titled ‘NLAW Missile Destroyed Russian Tanks! ARMA 3 War Simulation.’
Notably, the terrain and other topographic features seen in the YouTube video were similar to those in the viral footage.
The disclaimer in the description of the YouTube video clarified that it was a gaming footage. “I used ARMA 3 to create this Military Simulation.This video it is not completely representative of reality, it is just a simulation (sic),” it read.
Following this, we looked up keywords “NLAW Missile,” “Russian Tanks,” “Military Simulation” & “ARMA 3” on YouTube which yielded a video by MILMAN, dated July 20, 2022, titled ‘Ukraine NLAW Anti-Tank Missile Destroyed 2 Russian Tanks – Arma 3 Game (Military Simultaion) (sic)’
Around 2 minutes into the video, we spotted the clip being circulated to show “Ukraine hunting Russian tanks with American FGM- 148 Javelin missiles.”
The description of the video read, “This video was created with ARMA, it is not completely representative of reality, it is just a simulation of real news. Bohemia allows to make YouTube videos from their game and monetize it. Creating one video take me about 4 – 8 hours, including editing in Adobe Premiere Pro.”
The ‘About’ section of the channel further clarified, “All Military Simulations are created in video game ARMA 3. All events in my videos are fictitious! All videos are recorded and edited by me personally.”
The channel featured several such military simulation videos.
Notably, multiple new outlets have confirmed that the US did supply its Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine amid confrontation with Russia. However, the viral video claiming to show Ukraine’s missile attack on Russian tanks is actually gaming footage.
Conclusion
Viral posts claiming to show Ukraine using American FGM- 148 Javelin missiles to destroy Russian tanks are false. The video is actually gaming footage from ARMA 3.
Result: False
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
