2004 Iraq Video Shared in Context of the Recent Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The Claim
The video depicts the Ukrainian army confronting its Russian counterpart during the ongoing invasion.
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Emerging story
Social media users have circulated a video of an army action claiming that it depicts the Ukrainian army confronting its Russian counterpart. The users have posted the video with a caption reading: “Russian army and Ukraine army fighting.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading.
Using Google Image Reverse Search, we found the video circulating in 2020, as the US and Iraqi troops recaptured the holy Al-Askari shrine in 2004 in Samarra.
Using keywords on YouTube search, our team has found a longer version of the video on a YouTube channel, uploaded online in 2020 with a title in Arabic reading: “Attack on the Golden Mosque / Al-Askari Mosque 2004.”
A verified YouTube channel with 2.25 million subscribers also uploaded the video in 2020 with a caption reading: “The raid on the Golden Mosque took place on October 1, 2004, as part of the Battle for Samarra, also known as Operation Baton Rouge.”
Description: A verified Youtube channel posted the video in 2020.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our team has debunked many claims, including videos circulating in the wrong context and others purporting to be related to this armed conflict.
