A Rundown of Popular Rumors About Russia’s Attack on Ukraine

Creators of online disinformation thrive in times of crisis.

Whether they are political agents or agenda-focused journalists, these so-called “bad actors” do well polluting our media ecosystem with misleading or false information during breaking news events because people are emotional (scared, confused, angry, excited, etc.) and want instant explanations.

In short, people are eager to spread links that justify their feelings or existing beliefs about the chaos — oftentimes without taking a pause to make sure what they say, or show, is true.

Snopes does not want that to be you.

Below is a list of rumors or falsehoods that circulated widely after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. We are continuously adding to the list.