Verification within Meta’s Third-Party Fact-Checking Program
An article from Military Watch Magazine is being spread online, claiming that Russia is allegedly successfully striking Ukraine’s defense enterprises, creating a shortage of ammunition of various calibers for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The article also casts doubt on the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defense systems against “Kinzhal” missiles.
However, this is fake. The source that published this information spreads pro-Russian propaganda. Ukraine destroys a significant portion of targets during Russian missile attacks, including “Kinzhal” missiles.
Screenshot of the post
A similar article does exist on the magazine’s website titled “Russian MiG-31K Fighters Launch Ballistic Missile Strikes on Ukrainian Artillery and Drone Factories: Can Ukraine Really Intercept Them?” In the article, the authors mainly reference Russian sources and praise Russia’s weaponry.
The resource Media Bias / Fact Check, which aggregates ratings from independent fact-checkers in the IFCN network, assesses the publications of Military Watch Magazine as biased and questionable. The magazine spreads pro-Russian propaganda. Additionally, there is a lack of full transparency regarding the ownership, leadership, and editorial team of the website. Therefore, it is impossible to indicate whether the materials are actually written by U.S. citizens or whether the media is truly “American.”
Indeed, the magazine spread Russian claims about the destruction of the Patriot missile defense system on May 16, 2023, although at that time, representatives of the United States and independent analysts did not confirm this. Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi stated that no American missile defense system had been destroyed. Military Watch also published information about alleged oppression by the “Nazi government” of Ukraine of students from India, although foreigners were returning and continuing their studies. Or they wrote about the alleged recognition by the United States of the superiority of Russian tanks over Western analogs or positively portrayed the Russian A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft. A few days after the publication of the material, it was shot down by Ukrainian air defense.
Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder confirmed the downing of a “Kinzhal” missile on May 9, 2023. This means that Ukraine has the capability to intercept this type of missile after receiving the Patriot missile defense system and has done so repeatedly. On January 7, 2024, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, Yurii Ihnat, reported the downing of 25 “Kinzhal” missiles to date.
The article itself contained an error. They cite Russian Ministry of Defense data regarding missile strikes on December 13, 2023. However, Russia reported alleged hits on artillery, tank shells, and UAV production facilities on January 13. The magazine verbatim repeated Russian claims about a successful attack. The Ukrainian Air Force stated that on this day, they detected 40 aerial targets, of which they shot down 8. Over 20 more were not included in the destroyed statistics because they did not reach their targets due to electronic countermeasures. There is also no information about the impact locations of Russian missiles, if any.
In 2023, according to UA War Infographics calculations based on Ukrainian Air Force data, approximately 70% of missiles and nearly 84% of combat drones were shot down.
Infographic of downed missiles in 2023. Source: UA War Infographics
Infographic of downed strike drones in 2023. Source: UA War Infographics
The most recent massive rocket attack, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, took place on December 29, 2023. At that time, Russia launched 158 projectiles (36 strike UAVs and 122 rockets of various types), of which 114 were destroyed. Another attack occurred on January 2, 2024, which, according to Taras Chmut, the head of the “Come Back Alive” foundation, became the world’s largest combined rocket attack using hypersonic weapons. During this attack, Russia used 35 strike UAVs, no fewer than 70 cruise missiles, 10 aeroballistic missiles “Kinzhal,” and a variety of other weapons. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, they destroyed 72 aerial targets out of 134.
Attention
The authors do not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have no relevant affiliations
