Tag Archives: Armoured Vehicle

Did Russia Destroy NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine?!

Claim : Russia Just Destroyed NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine!

People are sharing seven short video clips, which claim to show Russian forces quickly destroying a NATO convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, and other armaments destined for Ukraine?!

The video clips are being shared with this message:

Russia attack arms aid by NATO to Ukraine 🇺🇦

Truth : Russia Did Not Destroy NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Russians, or the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and spread by pro-CCP and pro-Russian netizens and groups.

Fact #1 : That Video Was From A Video Game

The viral video clips do not show any actual combat in Ukraine. They are merely gameplay videos from the computer game, ArmA 3.

ArmA 3, which is also known as ArmA III or Armed Assault 3, is an open-world, military tactical shooter game by Bohemia Interactive.

I’ll admit – this wasn’t easy to confirm, as the viral video clips were small. Hunting down the original video took considerable time and effort, but with a little luck, I found it!

The seven video clips appear to be edited from a YouTube video called Ukrainian soldier Blow up a pontoon bridge with Russian Military Convoy – Arma 3 by USF WARRIOR.

Here is one example of the seven video clips, so you can see how realistic (or not) it looks.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Russia-destroy-NATO-arms-convoy-fake-video-example.mp4?_=1

Fact #2 : That Was An American TOW Missile

In the example video I posted above, you can see the outline of a missile launcher. That is not a Russian missile launcher, but the M220 launcher for the American TOW BGM-71E anti-tank missile.

In other words – the video does not show Russian forces destroying a NATO convoy of tanks and other armoured vehicles. It actually shows Ukrainian forces using American weapons to destroy a Russian convoy in the ArmA 3 game.

Here is a comparison of the screenshot of the viral video (right) and a screenshot of the same TOW missile launcher (left) in the ArmA 3 game.

Interesting fact : the screenshot on the left is actually from another fake ArmA 3 video created but the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Fact #3 : Those Are Russian Mil Mi-17 Helicopters

Understandably, it’s not easy to locate the original video. But even if you are not able to confirm that this was an Arma 3 gameplay video, any military buff or gamer would have quickly realised how ridiculous the claims are.

For example, these are Russian Mil Mi-17 helicopters. Some NATO countries like Czechoslovakia, Lithuania and Latvia used to own and operate them, but they should have long been disposed of.

Fact #4 : Those Are Russian Mil Mi-28N Helicopters

While it may be plausible for NATO countries to source and perhaps supply Ukraine with old Mi-17 helicopters, it would be impossible for them to supply Ukraine with these Russian Mil Mi-28N “Havoc” helicopters!

Only four countries have access to these Havoc helicopters – Russia, Iraq, Algeria and Uganda. NATO countries, even those who were formerly part of the Soviet Union, do not have these helicopters.

So it would be impossible for NATO to provide Ukraine with Mil Mi-28N helicopters.

Fact #5 : Those Are Russian BTR-80 Armoured Personnel Carriers

Those are Russian BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers. Granted, they are rather ubiquitous, with many examples worldwide.

However, the only NATO member with an abundance of these armoured personnel carriers is Turkey, and Turkey has not announced giving Ukraine any BTR-80s.

So if you see BTR-80s in Ukraine, it’s either Ukrainian or Russian vehicles.

Fact #6 : That Is A Russian 76N6 Clam Shell Radar

That is a Russian 76N6 Clam Shell low altitude search and acquisition radar for the Russian SA-10A/B (S-300) Grumble surface-to-air (SAM) missile system.

While the S-300 SAM system is rather ubiquitous as well, only one NATO member has ever donated an S-300 battery to Ukraine, and that’s Slovakia, which donated its only battery in April 2022.

Since then, no other NATO member country has any operational S-300 systems left. So it would be impossible for NATO to supply these radars together with the SAM missile batteries to Ukraine.

Fact #7 : There Are No NATO Forces In Ukraine

NATO Allied Land Command confirmed that “there are no NATO forces or leaders in Ukraine in any capacity“.

While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.

So the claim that NATO sent a convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, and other armaments to Ukraine. Any military armaments supplied to Ukraine are transported into Ukraine by the Ukrainians, not NATO forces.

Even such convoys would never be close enough to the frontlines for Russian forces to attack.

Fact #8 : This Is Just Another Example of Pro-Russian Propaganda

This is yet another example of pro-Russian propaganda. Here are some other examples I fact checked in the past:

Please watch out for similar fake news created by Russia and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛)!

Help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and support our work!

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Did Russia Just Destroy 4 Bradley Fighting Vehicles In Ukraine?!

Claim : Russia Just Destroyed 4 Bradley Fighting Vehicles In Ukraine!

People are sharing a video of Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov claiming that Russian forces destroyed four Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV) in Ukraine!

Here is the accompanying message, which I machine-translated into English.

💥 За сутки боевых действий на данном направлении противник потерял 11 танков, 17 боевых машин пехоты, в том числе четыре БМП «Брэдли» производства США, 10 других боевых бронированных машин, 5 пикапов с крупнокалиберными пулеметами и более 150 военнослужащих.

💥 During the day of hostilities in this direction, the enemy lost 11 tanks, 17 infantry fighting vehicles, including four US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 10 other armored combat vehicles, 5 pickup trucks with heavy machine guns and more than 150 military personnel.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Russias-Ministry-of-Defense-spokesman-Igor-Konashenkov-says-Russia-has-already-destroyed-4-Bradley-vehicles.mp4?_=2

Truth : Russia Did Not Destroy 4 Bradley Fighting Vehicles In Ukraine!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS spread by pro-Russian netizens and groups.

Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded On 4 September 2022

The video is genuine, but it isn’t new. It was actually posted on the official Russian Ministry of Defence’s Telegram group on 4 September 2022.

In that longer video, Ministry of Defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov was giving a report on the state of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

⚡️ Сводка Министерства обороны Российской Федерации о ходе проведения специальной военной операции на территории Украины (04.09.2022 г.)

⚡️ Report of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine (04.09.2022)

Fact #2 : Bradley Fighting Vehicle Donation Only Announced In January 2023

President Joe Biden only announced that the US government would be sending Ukraine about 50 Bradley M2A2 ODS Fighting Vehicles on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.

That’s exactly four months after Russia claimed to have destroyed four of them!

Fact #3 : There Are Still No Bradley Fighting Vehicles In Ukraine

Even today, it is impossible for Russian military forces to have destroyed four Bradley Fighting Vehicles in Ukraine, because the Ukrainian army still does not not have any!

Yes, President Biden announced a new $2.8 billion weapons package on January 4, 2023 that would include about 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, but those vehicles will take months to deliver.

As Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder announced on January 5, 2023 – the Bradley Fighting Vehicles have not been delivered to Ukraine.

You will see when Bradleys arrive on the battlefield. Let Ukraine announce it.

Fact #4 : Ukrainians Need To Train On Bradley Fighting Vehicles First!

Logistically, the US Army has about 4,000 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and can easily deliver the 50 vehicles to Ukraine in weeks, if not days.

However, Bradley Fighting Vehicles are complex vehicles, and it will take several weeks for each vehicle and maintenance crew to learn how to use and maintain them. And that is expedited training.

In fact, the Ukrainians will only start training on the Bradley M2 vehicles this week in Germany, as announced by Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder in a briefing last week.

Training will mostly start next week in Germany. We expect this training to last weeks, not months.

Regardless of when the US government sends the Bradley M2 vehicles to Ukraine, they will only appear on the battlefield after there are trained Ukrainian crews.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Pro-Russia Propaganda

This is nothing more than old but official Russian propaganda that is being used by pro-CCP and pro-Russia netizens and groups to promote the perception that the United States is wasting resources in Ukraine.

Be wary of such claims, because there are plenty spreading on WhatsApp, Telegram and social media platforms. Here is a selection of similar Russian propaganda that I fact checked in the past:

Help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Tag Archives: Armoured Vehicle

Did Russia Destroy NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine?!

Claim : Russia Just Destroyed NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine!

Truth : Russia Did Not Destroy NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine!

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