Top Factchecks and Disinformation News
Latest Statements
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Tsargrad
News outlet owned by Kremlin-linked oligarch Konstantin Malofeev
"The People's Republic of Donetsk is recognized by the Scottish island of Forvik, which previously announced its separation from Great Britain."
Read more...Forewick Holm is not a populated island, and its self-proclaimed “Acting Foreign Minister and Sovereign” Stuart Hill has zero authority. -
Vladimir Putin
President of Russia
I am opposed to raising the retirement age [in Russia]. As long as I am president, no such decision will be made. Altogether, I believe that there is no need in our country to raise the retirement age. We can and need to boost the economy and the interest of people to continue working but without infringing on their rights to retirement. I will say this again: I am against raising the retirement age.
Read more...While Putin’s said in 2005 that the retirement age would not be raised as long as he was president, the Russian government has decided to raise the retirement age 8 years to age 63 for women, and five years to age 65 for men. Putin’s press secretary says Putin was not involved in the recent decision to raise the retirement age in Russia. -
Sergei Ilyin
Radio Sputnik
"Some of the people, supposedly repressed for political reasons, whose release Washington is calling for, have been convicted of grave crimes such as terrorism and murder. Their guilt has been completely and exhaustively proven."
Read more...The three men named in the article have been convicted based on extremely dubious evidence, hence the accusation that their incarceration is politically motivated. -
Eduard Sharmazanov
Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly, press secretary of the Republican Party, Armenia
“Manvel Grigoryan does not accept fabricated charges against him.”
Read more...The evidence presented by the Armenian security service against General Manvel Grigoryan was sufficient for his colleagues at the Parliament to strip him off his parliamentary immunity, for the Republican Party to call his actions “disgusting” and for his son to resign from the office of the mayor of Grigoryan’s home city. -
Vladimir Putin
President of Russia
“We managed to address a very difficult challenge that other countries which have hosted the Olympic Games have not been able to address so effectively. All of Sochi’s infrastructure – practically all – is very busy throughout the year. And both the coastal and mountain clusters are busy.”
Read more...Not every sports venue in Sochi built for the 22nd Winter Olympic Games 2014 remains busy throughout the year, contrary to Vladimir Putin’s claim. Most venues besides the Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort are occupied by tournaments and private events sporadically depending on the season. -
USA Really
"News" agency linked to the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency
“All of the peaceful actions in Washington, which our team at USA Really have planned for people, have been banned.”
Read more...The organizer, USA Really, did not provide any documentary proof that they applied for a permit to demonstrate and that their application was rejected by the U.S. authorities. -
Russian Foreign Ministry's Official Twitter Account
Russian Foreign Ministry
“In November 1991, in her speech in Houston, ex-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said that ‘according to the estimates of the world community, it is economically feasible for only 15 million people to live in Russia.’”
Read more...The quote is fake and comes from a Russian-language book titled "Why Russia is Not America." There is no evidence that Margaret Thatcher ever said anything like this. -
Kansas City Star
Newspaper
“The three southwest Kansas men recently convicted in a militia plot to bomb Somali immigrants may have been motivated by Russian manipulation of U.S. social media, a terrorism expert says.”
Read more...While the three men convicted of planning a terrorist attack on Somali refugees were extremely active on Facebook, it is not clear if they saw or shared any of the Russian Facebook ads with anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant rhetoric. -
Semyon Slepakov
Russian TV Comedy host and singer
“Russia is ready to host the World Cup. The stadiums are open. The cops are polyglots. That is a quick recap of many years of work.We're not going to lose face in front of the planet. It’s not for nothing we terrified [the planet] with a missile. In general, all is well. But there is only one “but”: Our team, frankly, is sh-t.”
Read more...The International Federation of Football Association, the world soccer authority better known as FIFA, ranked Russia’s national team #70 and labeled it a “worst mover.” -
Vladimir Putin
President of the Russian Federation
“Our mass media is free. People are free to speak out and make a name for themselves as representatives of many political movements do.”
Read more...Russia’s political system ranked is “authoritarian,” the country’s World Freedom score is consistent with “Not free” by Freedom House, based on lacking political rights, civil liberties and press freedom.