Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

Ciara O'Rourke
By Ciara O'Rourke May 26, 2022

Video of a drone attacking a Russian base is from a game

If Your Time is short

  • This is from a video game. 
 

The whir of helicopter blades can be heard in a video that takes an aerial view of what’s described as a "Russian desert base."

The footage shows the base and "infrastructure" hit by a "Bayraktar TB2 drone," according to a May 23 Facebook post that is causing some confusion as social media users sift through content about the war in Ukraine. 

That’s because this isn’t real footage — it’s a snippet from a video game.  

This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

Featured Fact-check

RELATED VIDEO
 

Searching for the title of the Facebook video online, we found the same footage on YouTube where it was clearly labeled as showing a recording of the video game Arma 3. 

Sign up for PolitiFact texts

The game is an ongoing source of misinformation as Facebook accounts share it in a way that could mislead people into thinking it shows actual combat between Russian and Ukrainian fighters. 

But that’s not the case, and we rate claims that this is real footage False. 

 

Our Sources

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Ciara O'Rourke

Video of a drone attacking a Russian base is from a game

Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!

In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.

Sign me up