Old Photo Shared as a Recently Seized Weapon by Russian Forces in Ukraine
The Claim
Photo of a foreign weapon seized by Russian special forces in Ukraine.
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Emerging story
Social media users across the MENA region are circulating a photo of a missile weapon. The accompanying claim is that the weapon forms part of several foreign weapons that were seized by Russian special forces in Ukraine.
Photo Description: A screenshot of the circulating claim.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating claim and found it to be misleading, as the image is old. The photo was previously published in 2013 and belongs to the Swedish MBT LAW anti-tank weapon, as can be seen in the screenshot below.
Photo Description: A screenshot of the image taken in 2013.
MBT LAW Anti-Tank Missile
MBT LAW is an anti-tank missile, manufactured and developed by the Swedish company SAAB, and has been in production since 2008. The weapon is designed to destroy tanks and armored vehicles at short range. The missile has been improved and modified several times and is being used by many armies including France, Spain, Germany, Finland, Israel, and Azerbaijan amongst others.
MBT LAW Missiles in Ukraine
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Britain supplied the Ukrainian forces with MBT LAW anti-tank missiles. According to The Guardian, these weapons have proven to be very effective against Russian military vehicles, as shown in the image below.
Therefore, Misbar’s team confirms that the circulating image does not depict weapons seized by Russian forces as it was published over nine years ago.
Translated by Dina Faisal
