Fact Check

No, This Isn't a Video of a Russian Paratrooper TikToking the Invasion of Ukraine

A video went viral across social media platforms with misleading information.

Published Feb. 24, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 24: Anti-war demonstrators and Ukrainians living in the U.S. protest against Russia's military operation in Ukraine in Lafayette Park on February 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24th. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)
Image Via Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images
Claim:
A video shows a Russian paratrooper filming a TikTok video while invading Ukraine.

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In late February 2022, social media users shared a video that many claimed showed a Russian paratrooper TikToking his way through Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The video went viral, and was even picked up by Barstool Sports (which later deleted its story).

Here's an image of one tweet containing the video. It purports to show a jubilant Russian solider using the short video platform TikTok to broadcast the invasion of Ukraine, which took place Feb. 24, 2022, local time. Here is a link to the original tweet.

"Bro fucking Russian paratrooper filming there (sic) TikTok while dropping in Ukraine ??," the tweet above stated.

The video doesn't show a Russian soldier documenting the invasion of Ukraine, however. The video has been online since at least 2015, well before the Russian attack on its neighbor country, and even before the rollout of TikTok. It was posted on Instagram in 2015.

https://www.instagram.com/p/6zv1DqhAwb/

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who started her career as a daily newspaper reporter and has covered everything from crime to government to national politics. She has written for ... read more