Did Prague name a square after the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy? No, that's not true: In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, residents of Prague adorned streets and squares with stickers to rename them, symbolically denouncing Russian aggression and expressing solidarity with Ukraine. No square received an official renaming. The claim appeared in a video (archived here)…

Is the recent scientific finding that the oldest known human settlement in Europe is located in Korolevo, a town in western Ukraine, part of pro-Ukrainian propaganda? No, that's not true: Research into the archaeological site in Korolevo began before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is no connection between the current events in Ukraine and the research. The claim appeared…

Did Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis divulge that Britain, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia expressed their willingness to send troops to Ukraine during the February 26, 2024, talks in Paris? No, that's not true: A statement posted on his website indicated that Mitsotakis did not mention these countries in his remarks following the summit. The claim appeared in a post…

Did Oxford University politics tutor Matthew Williams give five reasons why Ukraine is a dictatorship and not a democracy? No, that's not true: A video circulating on social media showing Williams has faked audio. It's taken from an Oxford University social media post where Williams discussed tips for students to get into Oxford. Williams told Lead Stories that he never…

Did German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock say that everyone knew the sanctions against Russia were useless before they were introduced? No, that's not true: Baerbock defended the sanctions during a discussion organized by the Wall Street Journal, saying they are important because they show those who violate basic laws that they will be held accountable.The claim appeared in a video…

Did French President Emmanuel Macron call a meeting among European Union and NATO leaders to agree on sending soldiers to Ukraine, and was Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico the only European leader to reject the idea? No, that's not true: The meeting was called to discuss European military and financial assistance to Ukraine. While the issue of ground troops was…

Have Ukrainian refugees revived diseases like whooping cough, scarlet fever and scabies that were once nearly eradicated in the Czech Republic? No, that's not true: Statistics indicate that these conditions have not been nearly erased there. According to the spokeswoman for the State Health Institute, the data and epidemic patterns of these conditions suggest that their recent increase is not…

Did Czech President Petr Pavel say that Russia will win the war in Ukraine? No, that's not true: An interview with the president by Czech public radio was edited so that the president's statement was taken out of context. Pavel did say the words in the interview, but not in that order or context. The claim appeared in a video…

Did Russia kill several French "officers" or "mercenaries" during an attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine, in January 2024? No, that's not true: There is no evidence to support the Russian claim, and French officials dismissed it as part of a Russian disinformation campaign, saying the names of the alleged French victims circulating on Russian Telegram channels had been previously reported in…

Was American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin killed in Kyiv during a Russian missile attack on January 3, 2024? No, that's not true: Lloyd Austin was hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC between January 1 and January 15, 2024, for treatment of an infection related to a prostate cancer operation. The claim appeared in a video (archived…

Did the Czech Republic not participate in a December 2023 meeting of the United Nations Security Council called by Russia because its ambassador was in Prague? No, that's not true: Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky decided the Czech Republic would not take part in the UN meeting because he considered it part of Russian propaganda efforts aimed at spreading lies.…

Has the European Union's policy of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, the Green Deal, caused the energy crisis that has led to a rise in prices in the European Union in recent years? No, that's not true: The European Union is facing an energy crisis because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The claim appeared in a video (archived here)…

Did an international outcry occur from foreign media questioning a Ukrainian flag at Prague's Faculty of Arts, as seen in images of the mass shooter who killed 14 and injured 25 in December 2023? No, that's not true: Major foreign media reports on the incident do not acknowledge the presence of a Ukrainian flag alongside the Czech flag. The claim…

Is most of Ukraine safe enough, with discos and full shops, for refugees to return to? No, that's not true: Russian missiles and drones are regularly fired at civilian targets in the capital Kyiv and across the country, resulting in civilian casualties in locations far removed from frontline fighting. The wartime economic condition means refugees may not find Ukraine a…

Is Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala related to the Czech entrepreneur Tomas Fiala, who does business in Ukraine? No, that's not true: The government office denied that the two are related and said that Petr Fiala is not even acquainted with the businessman. Fiala is a relatively common Czech surname. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok…

Does the Czech Republic cover travel expenses for Ukrainian refugees visiting relatives in their home country? No, that's not true: The Czech government has approved a bill that extends the temporary protection status for Ukrainian refugees, and also introduces help in purchasing tickets and covering some other travel expenses for refugees who decide to return to Ukraine permanently, despite the…

Is the Czech government reneging on its promise to wean the country off its dependence on Russian gas because some traders have started buying gas that is likely of Russian origin in late 2023? No, that's not true: the Czech Republic has shifted nearly all natural gas purchases to producers in Norway and the Netherlands using pipelines in Germany to…

Did Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova leave the country vulnerable by dispatching all Czech weapons to Ukraine? No, that's not true: Cernochova stated, both on a Czech state television program and in parliamentary discussions, that the country had depleted only the military resources earmarked for Ukraine. Furthermore, the Czech Republic is set to receive military equipment and financial support from…

Is Ukraine the most corrupt country in the world? No, that's not true: Ukraine ranks among the top third most corrupt nations in the world in terms of perceptions of public sector corruption, and yet it ranks above 54 countries in one leading corruption index and above 61 countries in a second index. The story appeared in a video (archived…

Is the population of Ukraine down to 19 million people in November 2023 because 4 million people left the country in the last two months? No, that's not true: The population of Ukraine in November 2023 was 37 million. According to the latest available data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are over 6 million refugees outside…