Shared Post Facebook It purports to show photographs of American mercenaries fighting in Russia’s Kursk region as part of a counter-offensive following the invasion of Ukraine.
Verdict: False
This image was taken before Ukraine struck back against Russia, and there are no official reports of US mercenaries being sent to Ukraine.
Fact check:
Ukrainian forces have advanced deep into Russian territory following the launch of a counteroffensive against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, marking the first time that Russian-occupied areas have come under direct attack, Russia said. CNNThe media said the blowback had prompted Russia to withdraw some of its weapons from key battlefields in an attempt to blunt the offensive.
The Facebook post appears to show a photo of mercenaries in American armor standing over a body, with a caption claiming the photo was taken on Russian territory. The caption reads: “American mercenaries exposed after invading Russia’s Kursk region.”
The image dates back to before Ukraine struck back at Russia. A reverse image search conducted by Check Your Fact revealed that the image was taken in September 2022, well before the current attack. The image, which first circulated on Telegram, reads, “We can do it now! Balakreya is Ukraine,” and the post features the Ukrainian flag.
The image was posted by Ukrainian blogger Denis Kazansky and was also featured on Ukrainian news sites. apostrophe and Slobo Dro“During the evacuation from Balaklia in the Kharkov region, the Russian occupation forces lost a lot of vital forces and equipment,” the Apostrophe article read. “Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazan Published An eloquent photograph of two military combatants fighting “selfishly” against the background of an “Eye” lying on the ground.”
Despite State Department warnings, American veterans have joined the Ukrainian military as mercenaries to fight Russian aggression, The Washington PostDakota Rudeshil, an associate professor at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Just Security In March 2022, they warned that participating as mercenaries would violate neutrality law and could lead to prosecution.
On August 11, Russian forces reportedly lost 1,240 soldiers, including 57 artillery systems and 21 tanks, on that day alone. Pravda. ExitCitation BloombergThe Russian military says it is launching a new wave of mobilization as losses in the region dwindle its troop strength.
