Vladimir Putin “orders destruction of all COVID-19 vaccines in Russia.”
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.
I would like to contribute
No, Vladimir Putin didn’t order COVID-19 vaccines to be destroyed in Russia
If Your Time is short
- This claim is fabricated. Russia recently sent more batches of a COVID-19 vaccine to cities with low stockpiles.
A recent blog post claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin "ordered the destruction of all COVID-19 vaccine stockpiles on Russian soil" because of "an undeniable connection" between the vaccine and "a sudden surge of HIV infections in vaccinated persons."
"Putin orders destruction of all COVID-19 vaccines in Russia," the March 4 post’s headline says.
But that’s incorrect.
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 Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
We found no credible news reports or other sources to corroborate this post’s claims.
Sign up for PolitiFact texts
Plus, Real Raw News has a disclaimer saying it contains "humor, parody and satire," though the author has defended his stories as truth. PolitiFact reporting has found the website regularly publishes false, fantastical stories authored by someone using a pseudonym.
Featured Fact-check
COVID-19 vaccines don’t contain HIV, as some people have claimed, nor cause AIDS.
And on March 5, a day after the publication of this blog post alleging that Putin was destroying all COVID-19 vaccines, the country’s health ministry announced on Telegram that it had recently sent more batches of the Sputnik V vaccine to Moscow and other regions that had reported low stockpiles.
We rate this post Pants on Fire!
Our Sources
Instagram post, March 5, 2023
Real Raw News, Putin orders destruction of all COVID-19 vaccines in Russia, March 4, 2023
Russian Health Ministry Telegram post, March 5, 2023
PolitiFact, No, COVID-19 vaccines aren’t causing AIDS, March 8, 2022
PolitiFact, No, the COVID-19 vaccines do not cause AIDS, Dec. 15, 2021
PolitiFact, Hangings, guillotines and Gitmo: Going behind Real Raw News’ sensational (and fabricated) headlines, Sept. 24, 2021
PolitiFact, COVID-19 vaccines do not contain HIV, Feb. 14, 2022
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Ciara O'Rourke
No, Vladimir Putin didn’t order COVID-19 vaccines to be destroyed in Russia
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.