2014 Video Shared as Harvesting in Ukraine Amid Russia’s Invasion
The Claim
A video shows harvesting as Russia invades Ukraine.
News posted on
Emerging story
Users on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have shared a video of a tractor in a burning field, claiming it was shot recently during Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“This is how the harvesting amid Russia's invasion in Ukraine is taking place,” a verified Twitter account wrote.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the circulating claim and found it to be misleading. The video is old and predates the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Old Video Shared as Recent
We found a longer version of the circulating video depicting the tractor in the middle of the burning field by using Russian keywords. The video was uploaded to YouTube on July 1, 2014, years before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The video was titled "Fire in the Field," and the caption read, "Save the Harvest."
Russia Accused of Targeting Ukrainian Agricultural Sites
Recently, Russian missiles targeted some agricultural sites. The fires have destroyed what was left of this year's grain crop. “That field was on fire. That one is burning. There it’s burning,” a Ukrainian farmer in the Mykolaiv region told the Washington Post.
According to the Washington Post, farmers are forced to choose between harvesting near an active front line or abandoning their crop, especially since the planting season has been delayed due to fighting to retake the area from Russian forces. It is also worth noting that the ongoing invasion has prevented much of Ukraine's grain from reaching global markets since the war began.
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