Tag Archives: Military

Did Pentagon Just Get Hit By A Large Explosion?!

Was the Pentagon just hit by a large explosion?! Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Pentagon Was Just Hit By A Large Explosion!

A photo of an explosion at the Pentagon has gone viral on social media, with multiple “blue check” Twitter accounts, an Indian media outlet and Russian state media sharing it!

RT : Reports of an explosion near the Pentagon in Washington DC

Bloomberg Feed : Large Explosion near The Pentagon Complex in Washington D.C. – Initial Report

⚠️BREAKING – Initial Reports of a Large Explosion near The Pentagon Complex in Washington D.C.
A Fire is currently Burning at the Location of the Blast with Fire and Rescue Crews arriving On-Scene.

Initial Reports of a Large Explosion near The #Pentagon Complex in #Washington D.C.
A Fire is currently Burning at the Location of the Blast with Fire and Rescue Crews arriving On-Scene.

Truth : Pentagon Was Not Hit By A Large Explosion!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created using AI technology, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Was No Pentagon Explosion

First, let me just confirmed that there was no explosion at the Pentagon yesterday or today. The Pentagon did not come under attack, as many people have claimed.

For one thing – no legitimate media outlet has reported on such an explosion. No, propaganda outlets like Russia Today (RT) do not count.

This incident has shown just how unreliable RT really is – it was the only state media agency to post the fake photo. RT deleted the photo hours later, but did not appear to apologise for the “mistake”.

Furthermore, police and fire officials in Arlington, Virgina, have confirmed that the viral photo is fake, and that there was no incident at the Pentagon. No explosion. No fire. No smoke.

@PFPAOfficial and the ACFD are aware of a social media report circulating online about an explosion near the Pentagon.

There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public.

Fact #2 : That Is Not The Pentagon

Anyone who has seen the facade / side profile of the Pentagon will immediately realise that the photo does not show the famous building.

The fake building looks like like a university than the Pentagon, which has a flat, sloping roof without a triangular Gable roof.

The facade of the Pentagon is also almost flat and uniform, with uniform, same-sized windows throughout.

Fact #3 : The Photo Was AI Generated

The viral photo appears to be created using an AI image generator. If you look closely at the photo, you will see many discrepancies that suggest it was AI-generated:

The facade of the building is distorted, with some windows merging together.
The fence suddenly turns into crowd barriers, both of which have distortions with holes too.
The lamp post appears to be distorted and cut off from its base, literally floating sideways.

Not shown below, but the concrete walkway also gradually fades into grass, which is another sign it was AI-generated.

Fact #4 : Twitter Blue + Gold Accounts Helped Spread Fake Photo!

It is important to point out that while this viral photo tricked many people into thinking it was real, it was the new Twitter Blue and Twitter Gold accounts that helped it go viral.

The photo went viral because multiple Twitter Blue accounts shared the fake photo. Because many people still believe that blue check Twitter accounts are “verified” and therefore trustworthy, they shared it out too.

Elon Musk is responsible for this debacle, by allowing any Tom, Dick and Harry to purchase a blue check to masquerade as a “verified” Twitter account. That was how the fake Bloomberg Feed account was able to trick so many people to share this fake photo.

On top of that, Russian state media – RT (Russia Today) boosted the fake photo by reposting it on its Twitter Gold account, which is a paid and verified account. Even though RT finally deleted the tweet hours later, more than 38,000 people had already viewed the post, and many shared it because they believed RT verified the news.

Fact #5 : Indian News Channel Helped Spread Fake Photo

It also did not help that Republic TV – a right-wing, English language news channel in India, broadcasted a “Live & Breaking” news of the Pentagon explosion using nothing more than that fake photo!

To top it off, they even invited Professor Madhav Nalapat – “an international affairs expert” to opine on the fake explosion!

To be fair – Republic TV relied on RT to verify that news, with a chyron saying, “RT REPORTS EXPLOSION NEAR PENTAGON“. That ought to teach them for relying on Russian state media for facts…

Republic TV claims the Pentagon was just hit by a massive explosion! 😲🤔

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/GndMXdMr4I #TechARP #Pentagon #Explosion #Military #USDOD #UnitedStates #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #AIGenerated #AI #ArtificialIntelligence pic.twitter.com/XaqglBsV3T

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 24, 2023

Fact #6 : This Is Just AI-Generated Fake News!

This is yet another example of fake photos / videos / news created by artificial intelligence. Here are some other examples I fact checked recently:

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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 US + UK Create COVID-19 As Bioweapon?!

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Did the US and UK governments create COVID-19 as part of a coronavirus bioweapon project since 1965?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US + UK Created COVID-19 As Bioweapon!

People are sharing TikTok, YouTube and Rumble videos of David E. Martin at International COVID Summit III, explaining how the US and UK governments allegedly developed the coronavirus as a bioweapon since discovering it in 1965.

Some are sharing it as evidence that COVID-19 was created as a bioweapon, while pro-CCP netizens and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) are sharing it as evidence that the COVID-19 was created by the West, not China!

“This [covid] is an act of biological and chemical warfare perpetrated on the human race” Dr David Martin International Covid Summit, European Parliament:

COVID was First Isolated in 1965. Pfizer’s First Spike Protein Patent was filed in 1990. That’s Also When They Found Out That Vaccines For COVID Can’t Work. – Dr David Martin International COVID Summit III – European Parliament, Brussels 05.04.2023

Folks – listen to this to understand where covid came from.

Finally, we know the true culprit that created and caused the Covid-19 pandemic which killed millions, so who is the evil of the world today…..China or the USA?

Was the COVID-19 coronavirus developed as a bioweapon?!

Here's my fact check : https://t.co/n8cqRxI8R7 #TechARP #COVID19 #Coronavirus #BioWeapon #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #Health #Science #Medicine #DiedSuddenly #Viral #Video #TikTok #Rumble #YouTube pic.twitter.com/ZddBgAYAqC

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) May 22, 2023

No Evidence US + UK Created COVID-19 As Bio-Weapon!

This appears to be yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter, and here are the reasons why!

Fact #1 : It Was From International COVID Summit III

The viral video clip above is from the International COVID Summit III, which appears to be a private conference organised by COVID-19 conspiracy theorists and anti-vaccination activists:

Held in the Anna Lindh room of the European Parliament, it was not an official EU or European Parliament event, and had only 5 MEPs attend as “co-hosting members” of the event.

You can read all about the ICS3 in my earlier article, Why International COVID Summit III Criticised Vaccine!

Fact #2 : Coronavirus Was First Isolated In 1930s

David Martin said that the first coronavirus as a model of a pathogen was isolated in 1965. Well, I have no idea what he meant by “as a model of a pathogen”, but that’s wrong on several counts.

first coronavirus sample (IBV) was isolated in 1930s
second coronavirus sample (MHV) was isolated in 1947
third coronavirus sample (B814) was isolated in 1961
fourth coronavirus sample (229-E) was isolated in 1966
all four virus samples were determined to be from same group, and named “coronavirus” in 1967

The first known sample of a coronavirus was isolated and identified as a virus in 1933. That virus was called infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in 1936, but later renamed as Avian coronavirus.

The second sample of a coronavirus was discovered in 1947. At that time, it was also not known as a coronavirus, but called mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). It would later be renamed as Murine coronavirus.

In 1961, a sample was isolated from a British schoolboy who was suffering from the common cold. That sample, designated as B814, was later confirmed to be a novel (new) virus in 1965. However, it was not called a coronavirus in 1965 either.

In 1966, new samples of a different virus – designated 229-E, were collected from University of Chicago medical students suffering from the common cold. Even then, that virus was not known as a coronavirus.

Fact #3 : Coronavirus Was Identified + Named In 1967

In the video, David Martin appears to say that the “coronavirus was identified in 1965 as one of the first infectious, replicatable viral models that could be used to modify a series of to her experiences of human conditions“.

I have no idea what most of the word salad meant, including the word “replicatable”, but I can tell you that the coronavirus was only identified as a new group of viruses in 1967, not 1965.

Remember the four coronavirus samples that were collected earlier? They were new viruses, but were not known as coronavirus at that time. It was only in 1967 that an electron microscope analysis of those four different viral samples showed that all four viruses belong to the same group.

It was only in 1967, that June Almeida and David Terrell made that discovery, and called the new group of viruses “coronavirus”, based on the characteristic spikes on their surfaces that make them look like the sun’s corona.

Fact #4 : 1967 Experiment Did Not Involve Human Manipulation

In the video, David Martin appears to say that “in 1966, the very first CoV coronavirus model was used as a transatlantic biological experiment in human manipulation“.

He would later repeat this saying “in 1967 – the year I was born, we did the first human trials on inoculating people with modified coronavirus“.

He listed his source as the 1967 study called Effects of a “New” Human Respiratory Virus in Volunteers (PDF download). He may have mixed up his dates a little. In any case, his claim is wrong on multiple levels:

that was the fourth and most recent coronavirus sample – 229-E
the virus was not known to be a coronavirus at that time
the study did not involve human manipulation

What the British scientists did was give the 229-E virus to volunteers to determine :

if it causes colds, and
the serum neutralising antibody when infected with viruses of this type

There was no manipulation and no modification of the 229-E virus sample before it was given to volunteers.

Fact #5 : Biological Weapons Convention Only Began In 1975

In the video, David Martin appears to wonder, “Where were we when we actually allowed, in violation of biological and chemical weapons treaties? Where were we, as a human civilisation, when we thought it was an acceptable thing to do to take a pathogen from the United States and infect the world with it? Where was that conversation and what should have been that conversation in 1967? “.

Well, for one thing – the 1967 experiment happened long before the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) came into effect on 26 March 1975. There was no conversation to be had.

In addition, the BWC does not limit scientific experiments on viruses, so even if it had been in effect, the 1967 experiment on volunteers would not have breached its rules as it was not being developed as a bioweapon! Again, there was no conversation to be had.

Fact #6 : There Are Many Coronavirus Species

The coronavirus family consists of a multitude of different viruses, with completely different characteristics. Think of them as car models – they are all cars, but every model has a different look and different characteristics.

Hence, it is wrong to associate past coronaviruses with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Any genetic link has to be determined by its genetic code, not by when a virus was discovered!

By 2020, scientists have discovered at least 45 coronavirus species, which were classified into four different genera – Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus, Deltacoronavirus, and Gammacoronavirus.

SARS-CoV-2 is a Betacoronavirus that is most closely related to SARS-CoV-1 – the virus that caused the SARS outbreak in 2002-2004. However, it was a novel (new) coronavirus when it was discovered, and was not derived / engineered / developed from SARS-CoV-1.

There is simply no evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 was developed as a bioweapon from the SARS-CoV-1, or any other coronavirus species.

Fact #7 : No Evidence SARS-CoV-2 Was Engineered

What David Martin said at the International COVID Summit sounds startling, but if you analyse his word salad and sources carefully, you will realise that he has not actually offered any evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 was engineered in any way, much less developed as a bioweapon!

It is plausible that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was created in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and accidentally released in a leak of some sort, but that has never proven one way or another. It is just as plausible that it was brought into Wuhan by some yet-to-be-identified animal host.

There is currently no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was engineered and released as a bioweapon.

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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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Comedian in China arrested + fined US$2.1 Million!

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A comedian in China was just arrested and fined US$2.1 million for using a CCP slogan created by Chinese President Xi Jinping in his joke!

China Arrests + Fines Comedian US$2.1 Million For CCP Joke!

In the communist utopia of China, comedian Li Haoshi (who goes by the stage name, House) was just arrested by police after being fined a whopping 14.67 million yuan, which works out to about US$2.1 million!

What dastardly crime did Li Haoshi / House commit to deserve such a massive fine, and arrest? Well, the Chinese comedian simply made a joke using a CCP slogan created by Chinese President Xi Jinping!

The fine was issued by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, which concluded that his show was “a plot amounting to a serious insult to the People’s Liberation Army, and creates a bad social influence“.

We will never allow any company or individual to wantonly slander the glorious image of the People’s Liberation Army on a stage in the [Chinese] capital, never allow the people’s deep feelings for the soldiers to be hurt, and never allow serious subjects to be turned into entertainment.

What a glorious statement indeed by the most noble bureau of culture in China!

The Bureau confiscated RMB 1.32 million in “illegal proceeds” from the entertainment company representing House, and fined it RMB 13.35 million. The company was also banned from performing in Beijing indefinitely.

But that was not the end. On Wednesday, May 17, the Chaoyang branch of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau stated that an investigation was opened against Li Haoshi / House for making “derogatory remarks against the People’s Liberation Army”.

On the morning of Thursday, May 18, the comedian was arrested by the police. There has been no word on his whereabouts since then.

The US$2.1 Million CCP Joke That Made China Mad!

So what exactly was the world’s most expensive joke all about?

During his show in Beijing on Saturday, Li Haoshi / House spoke about how he adopted two stray dogs since moving to Shanghai. He joked that when they chased after a squirrel one day, he was reminded of these eight words:

作风优良，能打胜仗
Good style of work, capable of winning battles

That was a flipped version of the slogan that was coined by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, when he set out a list of qualities he wanted from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

建设一支听党指挥能打胜仗作风优良的人民军队
Build a people’s army that obeys the party’s command and can win battles with a good style of work

In the audio shared to Weibo, his audience can be heard laughing at the joke. Unfortunately, it went viral and caught the attention of Chinese nationalists and then the CCP government.

His joke was deemed to be insulting because “dogs” and “stray dogs” are used as insults in China. It is also common for Chinese netizens to also use insults like “American lapdogs”, for example.

In other words, his joke was perceived to be insulting both President Xi Jinping (who coined the slogan), and the PLA by referring to its soldiers as “stray dogs” that can win battles with a good style of work.

At military parades, especially when Xi Jinping is watching, PLA soldiers will often shout the slogan:

听党指挥，能打胜仗，作风优良！
Follow the Party’s command, capable of winning battles, with excellent conduct!

Now, such jokes may be par for the course in many free, democratic societies, but Li Haoshi / House appeared to have forgotten that China under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is neither free nor democratic.

If he made the same joke using a slogan by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, he would have gotten only laughs, because Taiwan is free and democratic. Unfortunately, he made a joke about the CCP and the PLA. Even worse, he made a joke about something Xi Jinping said, and that was the ultimate sin that anyone in mainland China can commit.

Li Haoshi / House and his company were not the only casualties of this expensive joke. Three other comedy companies suspended all of their performances as a result of this controversy :

Danli Ren Comedy (单立人喜剧),
Owl Comedy (猫头鹰喜剧), and
Xiaosheng Comedy Club (笑生喜剧脱口秀俱乐部)

Even more startling – a 34 year-old woman surnamed Shi was detained by police in Dalian city, after she posted a comment online, asking “Why should House be banned? Aren’t all soldier brothers also dog brothers?”

This goes to show just how closely the CCP government monitors speech in China, and how swiftly and mercilessly it strikes at people who even deigns to mock its authority.

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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 DOD Data Show Spike In Diseases After Vaccine?!

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Did leaked DOD data show a massive spike in diseases in US military personnel after they received the COVID-19 vaccine?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : DOD Data Show Massive Disease Spike After Vaccine!

People are sharing a post and/or video which claim that leaked data from the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED) show a massive increase in diseases in US military personnel after they received the COVID-19 vaccine!

Here is an excerpt from the really long article, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Leaked Database Shows U.S. Military Disease Rocketing After Covid-19 inoculations

Attorney Thomas Renz reveals what multiple DoD whistleblowers have provided on the safety signals they are seeing. These numbers are mind blowing!

Data leaked from the Defense Health Agencies Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED) shows skyrocketing levels of disease among military personnel.

Percentage Increase Over the Average of the Last Five Years
Heart Attacks 269%
Cancer 300%
Pericarditis 175%
Myocarditis 285%
Pulmonary Embolisms 467%
Cerebral Infarction 393%
Bell’s Palsy 319%
Guillain-Barre 250%
Immunodeficiencies 275%
Menstrual Irregularity 476%
Multiple Sclerosis 487%
Miscarriage 306%
HIV 590%
Chest Pain 1,529%
Labored Breathing 905%
Neurological Issues 1052%

Show less

Did leaked DOD data show massive spike in US military personnel diseases after COVID-19 vaccination?!

Here are the facts : https://t.co/7FoepCSbWv #TechARP #Military #USMilitary #USDOD #COVID19 #Vaccine #Vaccination #Death #DiedSuddenly #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Health pic.twitter.com/gpGWkxiBVc

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) May 15, 2023

Truth : DOD Data Do Not Show Massive Disease Spike After Vaccine!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS being created to scare people about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : DMED Data Is Available To Many People

First, let me just point out that the Defense Health Agencies Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED) is an online DOD (Department of Defense) platform which allows users to look up a subset of data from the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS).

The DMED platform is not public, but it is available to a wide number of people, specifically “U.S. military personnel, medical providers, epidemiologists, medical researchers, safety officers, medical operations and clinical staff, and federal partners and civilian collaborators in military medical research and operations“.

Anyone with the right credentials, including civilian researchers, can access the database.

Fact #2 : DMED Data For 2016-2020 Was Inaccurate

US DOD (Department of Defense) spokesperson Lisa Lawrence explained that the massive increase in diseases afflicting US military personnel in 2021 was due to inaccurate DMED data for 2016-2020:

Comparing the DMED database to the source data contained in DMSS, the Defense Health Agency’s Armed Forces Surveillance Division (AFHSD) discovered that the total number of medical diagnoses from 2016-2020 that were accessible in DMED represented only a small fraction of actual medical diagnoses for those years. In contrast, the 2021 total number of medical diagnoses were up to date in DMED.

The comparison between the data available in the platform from 2021 and 2016-2020 “resulted in the appearance of significant increased occurrence of all medical diagnoses in 2021 because of the underreported data for 2016-2020. AFHSD has taken DMED offline to identify and correct the root-cause of the data corruption.

Peter Graves, the spokesperson for the Defense Health Agency’s Armed Forces Surveillance Division, explained that the incorrect data for the years 2016-2020 led to a large underreporting of diseases for those years. But the 2021 data was correct, thus giving the “appearance of significant increased ccurrence of all medical diagnoses in 2021 because of the underreported data for 2016-2020“.

In other words, the incorrect DMED data for 2016-2022 made it appear as if there was a sudden spike in illnesses affecting US military personnel, when there was none.

If there was really a spike in diseases after COVID-19 vaccination, the US DOD would have reacted quickly, as this would have gravely impacted troop readiness. They didn’t do anything because there was no actual spike in diseases after vaccination.

Fact #3 : No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Cancer

There is zero evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause cancer, or increase the risk of cancer. In fact, there is no sign of any surge of cancers developing after COVID-19 vaccinations worldwide.

Claims that COVID-19 vaccines cause “turbo cancer” is also nonsensical – there is no such thing as “turbo cancer”. Cancers generally take many years to develop following exposure to carcinogens.

It is biologically implausible for COVID-19 vaccines to cause a spike in cancer diagnoses, even if the DMED data was correct (which isn’t the case).

Fact #4 : No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Birth Defects / Fertility Problems

There is also zero evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause birth defects and fertility problems like miscarriages, ovarian dysfunction, infertility in men or women, etc.

Post-marketing surveillance have not detected any data that would suggest that the COVID-19 vaccines would negatively impact pregnancy or fertility in any way. Later studies involving thousands of pregnancies also showed that there was no increased risk of miscarriages, preterm births, or other safety concerns for mothers and their babies after COVID-19 vaccination.

In contrast, the data shows that pregnant women are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19, particularly in their second and third trimesters. This increases the risk of preterm birth and miscarriage / still birth.

Furthermore, two US studies found that COVID-19 vaccination did not affect sperm quality, or embryo implantation. But COVID-19 infections has been shown to temporarily reduce male fertility.

Fact #5 : Heart Problems Are More Common With COVID-19 Infections

mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are associated with the rare risk of developing heart inflammation – myocarditis and pericarditis, but they mostly occur in males under the age of 40, and are generally milder in nature.

On the other hand, heart inflammation is not only more common with COVID-19 infections, it is often more severe.

The large SAFECOVAC trial involving over 400,000 hospital admissions showed that it is hundred of times easier to get myocarditis from a COVID-19 infection, than it is from three doses of any COVID-19 vaccine!

Myocarditis Risk	Per Million People	vs Sinovac	vs AstraZeneca	vs Pfizer
COVID-19	450	+300x	+214x	+167x
3x Pfizer	2.7	+1.8x	+1.3x	Baseline
3x AstraZeneca	2.1	+1.4x	Baseline	-0.2x
3x Sinovac	1.5	Baseline	-0.3x	-0.4x

Look at the results! If you are worried about myocarditis, you should definitely want to AVOID getting infected with COVID-19.

Fact #6 : COVID-19 Vaccines Have Been Proven Safe + Effective

Anti-vaccination proponents are not interested in your health, which is why they keep spreading misinformation about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

The truth is – COVID-19 vaccines were only approved AFTER they have undergone large safety and efficacy tests, involving tens of thousands of volunteers.

And even after receiving Emergency Use Authorisation and full FDA approval, they continue to be monitored for safety and efficacy.

The reason why doctors and health authorities STRONGLY advocate vaccination is because the vaccines have been PROVEN to protect the vast majority of people from getting COVID-19 in the first place.

And even if you do get infected after vaccination, the vaccine will protect you against hospitalisation and death from COVID-19.

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

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

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

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 US Send Nuclear AEGIS Missiles To Ukraine?!

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Did the United States just send nuclear capable AEGIS missiles to Ukraine?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US Sent Nuclear Capable AEGIS Missiles To Ukraine!

US Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently claimed that the US government sent nuclear capable AEGIS missiles to Ukraine!

In 2019 actor and comedian Volodymyr Zelensky ran as the peace candidate winning the Ukrainian presidency with 70% of the vote. As Benjamin Abelow observes in his brilliant book, “How the West Brought War to Ukraine,” Zelensky almost certainly could have avoided the 2022 war with Russia simply by uttering five words — “I will not join NATO.”

But pressured by NeoCons in the Biden White House, and by violent fascist elements within the Ukrainian government, Zelensky integrated his army with NATO’s and allowed the U.S. to place nuclear-capable Aegis missile launchers along Ukraine’s 1,200-mile border with Russia.

These were provocations that senior U.S. diplomats like post-WWII foreign policy architect George Kennan, former U.S. Defense Secretary Bill Perry, and former U.S. ambassador to Moscow Jack Matlock had long described as “red lines” for Russian leadership. Let’s face it, the Neocons wanted this war with Russia, just as they wanted war with Iraq.

He followed up by explaining that it’s because the AEGIS system is compatible with Tomahawk missiles which carry nuclear warheads.

The Aegis system advertises its tubes as compatible with Tomahawk missles which carry hydrogen bomb warheads with explosive power 10x the size of the Hiroshima bomb.

Truth : US Did Not Send Nuclear AEGIS Missiles To Ukraine!

This is another example of MISINFORMATION shared by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : AEGIS Is An Anti-Ballistic Missile System

Let me begin by pointing out that AEGIS is a missile defence system that is designed to defend against short to intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

In other words, AEGIS is not an offensive weapon. It is a defensive surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.

Fact #2 : AEGIS Is Not Nuclear Capable

As a defensive missile system, there is no need for AEGIS missiles to be nuclear-capable. Hence, there are no nuclear-capable AEGIS missiles or AEGIS missile launchers.

It is ludicrous for any missile defence system to use nuclear-tipped missiles since they would necessarily intercept incoming ballistic missiles in mid-flight.

The resulting explosion would cause massive destruction to the ground below, which would likely be in the territory of the defending country!

Fact #3 : There Are No AEGIS Missile Systems In Ukraine

AEGIS missile systems are complex and require extensive training, and are only deployed by American and NATO forces. They are also primarily based on ships, although NATO decided to develop the land-based AEGIS Ashore in 2014.

The first AEGIS Ashore site was deployed operationally in Deveselu, Romania, in 2016, while the second site was opened in Redzikowo in Poland, in 2022. There are no other AEGIS Ashore systems in the world, and certainly none in the Ukraine.

It takes many years to develop an AEGIS Ashore site. Even if the US government decided to setup an AEGIS Ashore site in Ukraine today, it wouldn’t be operational for many more years to come!

Note : The AEGIS Ashore facility is behind Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This launcher to his left is the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) launcher that was emplaced during AEGIS Ashore construction.

Fact #4 : AEGIS Is Not Compatible With Tomahawk

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seems to be confusing the AEGIS missile system, with the Tomahawk cruise missile. They are both different systems. The AEGIS missile defence system is not compatible with the Tomahawk cruise missile system.

What he does not appear to understand is that ships that carry the AEGIS systems (AEGIS ships) use the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) which was upgraded to be backward compatible with other missiles. This allows the ships to use a standard canister launching system for different missiles.

Originally, the Mk 41 VLS was designed to fire the RIM-66 Standard missile used by the AEGIS system. But for greater flexibility, the launching system was upgraded to accommodate the larger canister used by Tomahawk missiles. The current Mk 41 VLS now accommodates a variety of different missiles:

RIM-66 Standard
RIM-67 Standard
RIM-161 Standard Missile 3
RIM-174 Standard ERAM
RGM-109 Tomahawk
RUM-139 VL-ASROC
RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)
Joint Strike Missile

While the launcher itself supports different missiles (which are stored in their own containers), the actual systems controlling those missiles are different. An AEGIS system for example, cannot fire Tomahawk missiles out of Mk 41 VLS launchers.

Fact #5 : There Are No Operational Nuclear Tomahawk Missiles

It is true that Tomahawk cruise missiles were originally designed to accept nuclear warheads, but they were withdrawn long ago, and are no longer in service:

BGM-109A Tomahawk Land Attack Missile – Nuclear (TLAM-N) had a W80 nuclear warhead, but was retired from service by 2013.
BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) had a W84 nuclear warhead, but was withdrawn from service in 1991 to comply with the INF Treaty.

There are currently no Tomahawk missiles with nuclear warheads in active service. So the claim that US deployed nuclear-capable Tomahawk missiles anywhere is nonsense.

Fact #6 : There Are Easier Ways To Attack Russia With Missiles

With heavy fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine, it doesn’t make sense for the US to deploy Tomahawk missiles, nuclear capable or otherwise, in that country.

For one thing, it would be taken as casus belli by Russia. Even if it chose not to escalate the war, it is easier for Russia to attack the AEGIS / Tomahawk missile launchers in Ukraine.

But more importantly, there are easier ways to hit Russia with Tomahawk missiles than deploying them in Ukraine, where Russian forces (including air defences) are deployed in great numbers.

It would be far easier and safer for the United States / NATO to attack Moscow (for example) using Tomahawk or other missiles deployed in Latvia or Estonia, which are both NATO members.

Fact #7 : Robert F. Kennedy Jr Admitted He Was Wrong

Almost a week after he made those false claims, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. finally admitted that he was wrong. But even his correction reasserted the false claim that Russian fears of AEGIS precipitated the 2023 invasion of Ukraine.

Latvia and Estonia are NATO members, where AEGIS Ashore missile systems can potentially be installed, and Tomahawk systems deployed. Attacking Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, does not change that calculus.

This only goes to show how ill-prepared he is to be Commander-in-Chief of the United States.

ERRATA: Apologies for my earlier tweet reporting that the U.S. had installed nuclear-capable Aegis Missile systems in Ukraine. This was incorrect. The U.S. installed the Aegis batteries in Romania and Poland.

According to former top NATO military planner Col. Douglas Macgregor and historian Benjamin Abelow, the Russian government’s fear that the U.S. was about to install the same systems in Ukraine was one of several national security anxieties that motivated Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Russia had been deeply concerned that new U.S. missile systems, deployed as close as 400 miles from Moscow, could increase the chance that, in a crisis, the U.S. might believe it could carry out a decapitating preemptive first strike.

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Did Germany accuse US of blowing up Nord Stream 2?!

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Did Germany just publicly accuse the US of blowing up Nord Stream 2 at the United Nations?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Germany Accuses US Of Blowing Up Nord Stream 2!

People are sharing a YouTube video which shows Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of Germany, publicly accusing the US of blowing up Nord Stream 2 at the United Nations!

BREAKING NEWS!!! Germany Accuses US Of Blowing Up Nord Stream 2.
Bravo – finally 👍👏

How To Be A Hypocrite Show How The Actions Of The West Divides The World Instead Of Bring It Together

Fierce and powerful recent speech of German Chancellor on Americans blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline, the aggressive using of Ukraine to start a war against Russia . ‘ We are the baddies’

Truth : Germany Did Not Accuse US Of Blowing Up Nord Stream 2!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by pro-Russia activists, and promoted / shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Olaf Scholz Was Denouncing Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine

I traced the video to a speech German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave at the United Nations General Assembly’s 77th session on 20 September 2022

In the original, unedited video, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not accuse the US of blowing up the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Instead, he denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:

There is no justification whatsoever for Russia’s war of occupation against Ukraine. President Putin is waging this war with one single objective: to seize Ukraine. Self-determination, political independence do not count for him.

And there’s only one word for this – this is imperialism, plain and simple. The return of imperialism is not only a disaster for Europe, but also a disaster for our global peaceful order.

If we want this war to end, then we cannot be indifferent to how it ends. Putin will only give up his war and his imperialist ambitions if he realizes that he cannot wi.

This is why we will not accept a peace dictated by Russia. This is why we will not accept any pretentious referenda. And this is why Ukraine must be able to defend itself against Russia’s invasion.

Fact #2 : It Features A Fake “Satire” Voice-Over

The video is real, but the original audio was replaced by a fake male “satire” voice-over. The original, unedited video features a female interpreter, which you can view below.

The fake video creator actually mentioned this in the video’s title, but intentionally made the extra long to reduce visibility of that disclaimer. The fake news creator also mentioned the use of a fake voice-over in the description:

BREAKING NEWS!!! Germany Accuses US Of Blowing Up Nord Stream 2. (Satire Interpreter Voice)

How To Be A Hypocrite Show How The Actions Of The West Divides The World Instead Of Bring It Together. Satire Interpreter Voice To Show What The Rest Of The World World Prefer.

This goes to show just how many people don’t bother to even read the title. Of course, when it comes to pro-Russia and pro-CCP netizens, who cares? If it is anti-America, it must be true.

Fact #3 : It Was Posted By A New “Parody” YouTube Account

The viral video was posted by a new YouTube account created on March 15, 2023.

So far, this YouTube channel – AlienJacket, posted six anti-Western videos – five of which are fake “parody” videos.

The only non-parody video is of Zambian politician Fred M’membe criticising the United States at China’s recent “democracy forum” – the the Second International Forum on Democracy.

Fact #4 : Unknown Who Destroyed Nord Stream 2 Pipelines

It is currently unknown who destroyed the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. As far as plausible reasons go, many countries had plausible reasons to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines:

US : To prevent allies in Europe from being held hostage by their reliance on cheap Russian gas.
UK : To encourage allies in Europe to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Russia : To stop supplying Europe without breaking its gas supply contracts, and/or to divide Europe.
Ukraine : To unite Europe against Russia.

While motive is important, it is not evidence that a country has committed the crime. There has to be actual evidence that the US / UK / Russia / Ukraine did it.

Regardless of what armchair experts may claim, there is simply no conclusive evidence YET that any of those countries are responsible for the destruction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines.

Fact #5 : This Is Pro-Russia Propaganda

This is really nothing more than yet another example of pro-Russia propaganda, like these examples:

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Did Boston Dynamics Just Create A Fighting Robot?!

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Did Boston Dynamics just introduce a fighting robot that could replace soldiers on the battlefield?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Boston Dynamics Shows Off A Fighting Robot!

People are sharing a TikTok video which claims to show a Boston Dynamics robot that is capable of fighting, and could replace soldiers on the battlefield!

Gabor Gurbacs : Politicians are focusing on crypto regulation, meanwhile robots and AI building essential skills to take over the planet. Boston Dynamics robots now have martial arts and fighting skills. What could go wrong…

Velina Tchakarova : Why is Boston Dynamics teaching their robots how to fight?

Leo Rezaei : 🥊🥋 Boston Dynamics Robot training to fight?! @BostonDynamics

Did the Boston Dynamics just introduce a fighting robot?! 😲😳

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/xZamawwd7b #TechARP #BostonDynamics #Robot #Robotics #Tech #Technology #Military #Fighting #MartialArts #Boxing #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #AI pic.twitter.com/0v3yxcFG8U

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 1, 2023

Truth : That Is Not A Boston Dynamics Fighting Robot!

This is yet another example of fake TikTok videos, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Boston Dynamics Does Not Have A TikTok Account

First of all, I should just point out that Boston Dynamics does not have a TikTok account. It only has a YouTube channel.

Fact #2 : Fighting Robot Video Was CGI Generated

The @boston_dynamics TikTok account is a parody account called Botsom_Dynamics – a play on the name of the famed American robotics company.

That TikTok channel post robotics-related videos, but a number of obviously computer-generated graphics videos. But even if you didn’t know that, you can see that the video was CGI generated, if you look and listen carefully.

For example, when the robot does a backflip, you can hear its landing thump just before its feet actually hit the ground. There is also an odd “pow” sound effect when the robot makes a punch. Even worse – for all of its explosive moves, the robot does not kick up any dust, or damage the ground or grass in any way.

And if you look carefully, the entire robot actually floats over the ground a second before the video ends. This only appears in the original 11 second-long video which I uploaded above. The viral video clip on Twitter appears to cut out that part, and is much shorter at just 6 seconds.

Fact #3 : That Is Not The Boston Dynamics Atlas Robot

The robot in the viral video looks superficially like the Atlas robot that Boston Dynamics showed off in 2011. But if you look carefully, you will see that it really isn’t the Atlas.

For one thing – Atlas has a prominent Boston Dynamics logo on its front carapace, which is a two-piece design. The real Atlas also has a white webbed frame at the back.

The fake fighting robot has a one-piece front carapace without any logo, and a covered black back. The design of this CGI fighting robot was likely simplified to make it easier and faster to create and render.

Fact #4 : Boston Dynamics Forbid Using Their Robots As Weapons

Finally, I think it is important to note that Boston Dynamics refuses to partner with anyone who wishes to use their robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems, as part of their Ethical Principles.

We will not weaponize our robots

We will not authorize nor partner with those who wish to use our robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems. If our products are being used for harm, we will take appropriate measures to mitigate that misuse.

In addition, Boston Dynamics customers are prohibited from using their robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems. Their Terms and Conditions of Sale specifically prohibits weaponising their robots.

We pledge that we will not weaponize our advanced-mobility general-purpose robots or the software we develop that enables advanced robotics and we will not support others to do so. When possible, we will carefully review our customers’ intended applications to avoid potential weaponization. We also pledge to explore the development of technological features that could mitigate or reduce these risks

Fact #5 : This Is Just Another Fake TikTok Video

This is yet another example of fake videos on TikTok created to generate money through advertising, just like these examples:

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Did Joe Biden Just Walk Away From Air Force Falcons?!

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Did US President Joe Biden bizarrely walk away from the Air Force Falcons, before the football team could present him with a helmet and signed ball?!

Claim : Joe Biden Bizarrely Walks Away From Air Force Falcons!

People are sharing a Twitter video and post that appears to show US President Joe Biden suddenly walking away from the Air Force Falcons, before the football team could present him with a helmet and signed ball.

Sinnaig : 🇷🇺😂🤨 This guy “runs” the world…
Biden hosted the US Air Force Academy football team “Falcons” at the White House.
He was supposed to be presented with a ball signed by the team, a helmet and a football jersey. He only took the sweater and suddenly turned around and left…😂

In the video, a female officer gestures to President Biden, who pauses before turning around to walk away from the team with a football jersey, while two officers appear to be waiting to hand him a football and a helmet.

Did Joe Biden bizarrely walk AWAY from the Air Force Falcons BEFORE they presented him with a football and helmet?! 😳😜

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/6NWBzpOv8S #TechARP #JoeBiden #AirForce #USAF #Football #Sports #Politics #Politician #Propaganda #Facts #FactCheck pic.twitter.com/YAHrI2JeLs

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) April 30, 2023

Why Joe Biden Walked Away From Air Force Falcons!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by pro-Russia activists, and promoted / shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : President Joe Biden Presented CIC Trophy To Air Force Falcons

First, let me just give you some context on what’s going on.

The video was recorded at around 2:40 PM on Friday, April 28, 2023 at the White House where President Joe Biden presented the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to the Air Force Falcons.

Fact #2 : Air Force Falcons Presented Joe Biden With Ball + Helmet

Sinnaig falsely claimed that the President Joe Biden walked away before the Air Force Falcons presented him with a signed ball and a helmet, taking with him only a football jersey.

The truth is – the Air Force Falcons presented Joe Biden with all three items. This was specifically mentioned in the White House transcript of the event.

(The President is presented with an Air Force Falcons jersey, football, and helmet.)

Fact #3 : The Video Was Edited

The video is genuine, but edited to convey the impression that President Biden is a doddering old fool.

The fake news creator specifically cut out an earlier segment of the video so that it appears that Joe Biden walked away from the team before they presented him with the football and helmet.

In the original video (which I posted below), you can see Air Force Falcons coach Calhoun call on two Air Force captains to present the three items to President Biden.

Our two captains: Haaziq Daniels, quarterback, and — and running back Brad Roberts. And, sir, they have a couple of small items here for you.

Captain Haaziq Daniels first hands Biden the jersey, which he holds up for a photo, before he gives him the signed football. Biden then mocks an attempt to throw it, saying “Go down, out, and down” to laughter from the crowd.

After handing the football back to Captain Daniels, he says “Where I’m going tonight, I may need that helmet.“, and turns to take the helmet from Captain Brad Roberts.

Before walking off, he turns towards the team, and says something to them. It is inaudible, but according to the White House transcript, this was what he said:

Well, thank you very much. What a great, great honor. I appreciate it very much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

After that, he turns around and walks out of the room, carrying only the jersey. It wouldn’t be possible for him to hold onto all three items after all.

The two Air Force captains then places the football and helmet on the table, before taking a photo with General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

This video shows Joe Biden receiving the helmet and football from the Air Force Falcons, which was edited OUT of the fake video!

What's going on : https://t.co/6NWBzpOv8S #TechARP #JoeBiden #AirForce #USAF #Football #Sports #Politics #Politician #Propaganda #Facts #FactCheck pic.twitter.com/mtcYFx0gZG

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) April 30, 2023

Fact #4 : This Is Just Fake News About Joe Biden

This is just another example of political fake news created to smear Joe Biden, and here are other examples you may have seen on social media:

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Did CNN Hide Video Of Ukraine Attacking Donetsk?!

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Did CNN hide its video reporting on Ukraine attacking Donetsk and killing innocent civilians there?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : CNN Hid Video Of Ukraine Attacking Donetsk!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, TikTok, and Facebook, which apparently shows CNN hiding its video reporting on Ukraine attacking Donetsk.

In the viral video, former Fox News presenter, Clayton Morris, appears to say that CNN hid a video showing Ukraine killing civilians in Donetsk.

CNN does not want us to see this video. That’s why they’ve hidden it on their website. But thanks to the Internet, we’re going to show it to you now.

This is CNN covering Donetsk. The Donbass being attacked by Ukraine. Watch.

The video then shows a CNN news report, in which the CNN reporter states:

Petro Poroshenko will have a hard time winning back hearts and minds in this city, as the people of Donetsk sweep up the debris of their homes and livelihoods. They’re hardened against the president they say is killing his own people.

We are Ukrainian, but they kill us, this man says, so we probably need our own country. The people in Kiev, they’re not brothers for us.

The shells hit these homes days ago, but the tears are still fresh. Two people were killed outside this block of flats last Wednesday. One of them was a 50 year-old woman, the other a 34 year-old woman.

Her husband, who won’t talk to us says he’s in shock, managed to make it down the cellar with their little child, but she just didn’t have the time, and this is a story that repeats itself over and over in dozens of apartment blocks, with civilians being killed by the constant shelling around Donetsk.

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, are also promoting the video, with comments like:

With 14,000 casualties, among them, 3,500 women and children in the Donbas Region of Ukraine, between 2014 and February 2022, the MSM gave news black out to the war in Ukraine until Russia intervened in February 2022.
To many people around the world, the war in Ukraine started in 2022. In reality, it started in 2014.

Did CNN hide their video on Ukraine killing civilians in Donetsk?! 😲🤨

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/VY2iImITRz #TechARP #CNN #Ukraine #UkraineWar #Donetsk #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #TikTok #Propaganda #Russia #Russian #War #Military #Video pic.twitter.com/ziTJP0jPeW

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) April 15, 2023

Truth : CNN Did Not Hide Video Of Ukraine Attacking Donetsk!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Original Clayton Morris Video Cannot Be Located

First, I need to point out that I am unable to locate the original Clayton Morris video, and so cannot verify if it was edited or not.

The examples shared on WhatsApp and Facebook appear to originate from a TikTok account called crazyballheads2, which posted it on 12 April 2023.

Fact #2 : CNN Video + Report Was Never Hidden

It took me less than 5 minutes to locate the original CNN video, and the accompanying news report, that was posted by Diana Magnay and Laura Smith-Spark on September 2, 2014.

Misery in Ukraine as deadly conflict drives civilians from homes

Donetsk, Ukraine CNN — In the city of Donetsk, the devastation wrought by weeks of fighting between pro-Russia rebels and Ukrainian forces is all too apparent.

And as the civilians caught in the crossfire sweep up the debris of their homes and livelihoods, they are hardened against a president they say is killing his own people.

So the claim that CNN hid the video on their website is nonsense. It is easily accessible by anyone on the CNN website.

Fact #3 : Ukraine Was Trying To Regain Donetsk From Rebels

The Ukrainian army was attacking Donetsk because Russian-backed rebel forces took control of the Donbass region, after Russia annexed Crimea. For those who forget their history, here’s a quick recap:

In February 2014, Ukrainian protestors ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych from office. In retaliation, Russia invaded and annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, before supporting an armed insurgency in the Donbass region.

By April 2014, Russian-backed rebels seized government buildings in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces (oblasts), and proclaimed the creation of the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. That started the armed conflict between Ukrainian armed forces and the Russian-backed rebels.

At first, Russia quietly supplied and helped the rebels with armaments and irregular troops. That led to the downing of MH17 by DPR forces using a Buk missile launcher that just arrived from Russia that day, and was quickly moved back across the border after that. The Buk missile launcher was later traced to Russia’s 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.

By August 2014, Russia dispensed with the pretence, and Russian forces actively participated in the conflict, helping to capture more Ukrainian territory.

Fact #4 : This Is Just Fake News About Ukraine War

This is just another example of fake news created about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Here are other examples you may have seen on social media:

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Winnie the Pooh patch : TW’s middle finger to Xi Jinping!

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The Taiwanese-designed Winnie the Pooh patch is flying off shelves, as people start wearing it as a middle finger to Chinese President Xi Jin Ping!

Winnie the Pooh Aviation Suit Patch Goes Viral!

Aviation suit patches designed by Taiwanese artist, Alec Hsu, have gone viral, after the Taiwanese military news agency published a photo of a Taiwanese pilot wearing the patch on his suit.

That particular aviation suit patch shows Winnie the Pooh – a reference to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), getting socked in the face by an angry Formosan black bear!

The poor bear is often used to mock Chinese President Xi Jinping. So often that Chinese censors not only actively target all mention or postings of the lovable bear, China even banned the release of 2018 Christopher Robin movie, and the 2023 slasher movie Winnie-the-Pooh : Blood and Honey!

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may not like it, but the Taiwanese are really loving it, with a surge in demand for the patches.

Winnie the Pooh patch is a middle finger to Xi Jinping!

Alec Hau Fu-yu (徐福佑) designed and started selling the patches last year at his Taoyuan shop, Wings Fan Journal. But they didn’t go viral until one appeared on the suit of the Taiwanese pilot who was inspecting his fighter jet.

Hsu, who served in the Air Force during his mandatory military service, said that he created the badges of his own accord, and that they have nothing to do with Taiwan’s military.

I wanted to boost the morale of our troops through designing this patch.

After his badges went viral, he ordered more of them to be made to meet the increased demand. He noted that sewing such patches onto military jackets is a long-standing practice to commemorate different missions or tasks.

There appears to be at least two versions of the Winnie the Pooh patch, with a red or a blue background.

Both red and blue versions depict an angry Formosan black bear holding a Republic of China flag in its left hand, while punching Winnie the Pooh, who is dressed in its signature red shirt while holding onto a honey pot with the 5 stars from the Chinese flag engraved on it.

Both versions also have the slogan, Scramble! – referring to the act of quickly sending military aircraft to intercept hostile aircraft. In recent years, Taiwanese pilots have had to often scramble to intercept Chinese aircraft entering Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

The red version has the slogan, WE ARE OPEN 24/7; while the blue version has the slogan, FIGHT FOR FREEDOM.

These patches went viral during a time of great tension between China and Taiwan, after Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei after meeting US House of Representative Speaker Kevin McCarthy. China reacted by launching 3 days of military exercises called Joint Sword a day later, simulating attacks and a blockade of Taiwan

The “scramble” for these uniquely Taiwanese badges goes to show just what the Taiwanese people think of how China has behaved. These patches are a symbol of their defiance and resistance to Chinese aggression.

Buying and wearing these patches is perhaps their way to show their middle finger to Chinese President Xi Jinping, while not targeting China the country itself.

For its part, the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) say that it does not “particularly encourage” its members to wear the patch as it is not part of their uniform, but it “will maintain an open attitude” to anything that raises morale.

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Did US Steal Instant Noodles From Earthquake Victims?!

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Was the US military caught stealing Indomie instant noodles that Indonesia donated to earthquake victims?!

Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US Stole Instant Noodles From Earthquake Victims!

People are sharing a photo of US soldiers carrying Indomie boxes, claiming that it is evidence the US military stole instant noodles that Indonesia donated to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria!

ElysiusThor : Hot on the heels of the US military stealing tents donated by China to the Syrian earthquake victims, it’s now been revealed that they’re also stealing Indonesian-donated instant noodles as well. What the hell is the Pentagon feeding them then?

Bevin Chu 朱炳文 : The Unite [sic] States. An equal opportunity looter.

It loots the Syrian people’s oil, the Chinese people’s humanitarian relief tents, and the Indonesian people’s humanitarian relief foodstuffs with equal alacrity.

军武季 : 继美军盗窃中国捐赠给叙利亚地震灾民的帐篷后，又被爆出盗窃印尼捐赠的方便面。五角大楼到底在喂他们什么？

After the U.S. military stole the tents donated by China to the victims of the earthquake in Syria, it was revealed that it stole instant noodles donated by Indonesia. What the hell is the Pentagon feeding them?

Recommended : Was US Military Caught Stealing Tents From China?!

Truth : US Did Not Steal Instant Noodles From Earthquake Victims!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) or pro-CCP netizens and groups, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Photo Was Taken In Turkey

I traced the origin of viral photo to the DVIDS (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service) website.

I confirmed that the original photo was taken by Captain William Stroud, of the 1st Armoured Division Combat Aviation Brigade, in Dulkadiroğlu, Türkiye on 22 February 2023.

Fact #2 : US Soldiers Were Delivering Aid In Turkey

The claim that the US military stole the Indomie instant noodles from Indonesia is nonsense.

The soldiers were carrying relief supplies to people affected by the earthquake in Turkey. This was clearly explained in the caption of the photo:

U.S. Army soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (12th CAB), V Corps, delivers relief supplies to Turkish authorities in Dulkadiroğlu, Türkiye, Feb. 22, 2023. The 12th CAB supports the dynamic lift capability of the 1AD CAB in direct support of USAID and Turkish relief efforts, to those affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye. 12th CAB is one of several U.S. military units supporting Task Force 61/2 (TF 61/2), operating under U.S. Sixth Fleet, U.S. Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR), and U.S. European Command as part of the International Turkish disaster relief efforts.

Here is another photo of the same Indomie instant noodles, this time being delivered by US Marines on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

Earthquake relief. @USMC Marines assist the Turkish military loading humanitarian aid onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at Incirlik Air Base, Türkiye, as part of an international effort supporting earthquake relief operations. pic.twitter.com/Is8hn13WwP

— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) February 26, 2023

Fact #3 : Indomie Instant Noodles Were Produced In Turkey

It is unknown if the Indomie instant noodles were donated by Indonesia, or merely provided by the Turkish relief agency, AFAD.

However, the Indomie instant noodles in the viral photo appear to be produced in Turkey. If you look closely at the boxes, you can see that these Turkish words.

Hazir Noodle : Instant Noodles

Yerli Üretim : Domestic Production

Bardak : Cup [Noodles]

Sebzeli Hazir Noodle : Vegetarian Instant Noodles

In 2014, Indofood set up a factory to produce Indomie instant noodles in the Tekirdağ industrial district, in Turkey.

Fact #4 : US Military Helped To Deliver Aid

While many countries sent tons of food and other supplies to Turkey, most did not have any base or ability to transport the humanitarian aid to the affected areas. That was left to AFAD – the Turkish relief agency.

That was where the United States military came in – they used their helicopters at the Incirlik Air Base to deliver donated aid to the affected areas that are hard to reach by trucks.

That’s why you see US soldiers taking things on or off helicopters, which may have been donated by other countries. They were not stealing anything, just helping to deliver them.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here is just the latest dozen the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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Did US Steal $50 Trillion Of Gold + Oil From Iraq?!

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Did the US government steal $50 trillion worth of gold and oil from Iraq?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US Stole Gold + Oil From Iraq Worth $50 Trillion!

People are sharing photos of US soldiers posing with gold bars, as evidence that the United States sold gold and oil from Iraq worth tens of trillions of dollars!

These photos have been revived on the 20th anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as part of the information warfare surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, being shared and promoted on pro-CCP and pro-Russia groups on social media, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.

Here the US thieves in Iraq. Bringing democracy aka stealing a country’s gold. Same thing they want to do in Russia. But Russia is no Iraq or Libya.

The #US ransacked and plundered the whole of #Iraq. Banks, museums, all of their gold reserves. The US is the biggest gang of thiefs in the whole history. They have raped most of the planet in the last 50 years. #Ukraine #UkraineRussianWar #UkraineRussiaWar #Russia #Putin #NATO

🇺🇸 “liberates” gold & oil while 🇷🇺 liberates humans.

#Denaƶification & #Demilitarization of #UkroNaƶiLand

Truth : US Did Not Steal Gold + Oil From Iraq At All!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and/or propagated to deflect criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : US Did Not Steal $30 Trillion Of Iraqi Oil

Claims that the US stole $30 trillion worth of oil from Iraq are false. The United States did lose track of 8.7 billion dollars worth of Iraqi funds though.

After the invasion of Iraq concluded, Iraqi oil was sold to help fund the Development Fund of Iraq (DFI). Other sources of funds include surplus funds (about USD 10 billion) from the UN Oil-For-Food Program, and the sale of seized Iraqi assets.

The United States did not truck away Iraqi oil, as claimed. In July 2010, the US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) discovered that the US Department of Defense could not account properly for USD 8.7 billion of DFI funds.

This led the Iraqi Parliament to request the United Nation’s help in demanding that the US return $17 billion of “oil money” that it said was stolen from the Iraqi people :

All the indications are that the institutions of the United States of America committed financial corruption by stealing the money of the Iraqi people, which was allocated to develop Iraq, (and) that it was about $17 billion.

… Our committee decided to send this issue to you … to look into it and restore the stolen money.

There is no evidence that the unaccounted money was repatriated to the United States, or officially taken by the United States.

Even assuming that it was not poor accounting and all of the $8.7 billion was truly stolen, that is a far cry (0.029%) from the $30 trillion that was “allegedly” stolen.

It is also rendered ludicrous by the fact that the United States spent US$60 billion in the reconstruction of Iraq.

Also consider the fact that Iraqi oil production only reached 4.4 million barrels per day in 2016. Assuming an average sale price of USD 60 per barrel, it would take them 311 years to sell enough oil to make $30 trillion.

Stealing $30 trillion worth of oil would require 1.7 billion oil trucks, or 46,000 of these trucks every day for 100 years!

Fact #2 : US Did Not Steal $20 Trillion Of Iraqi Gold

The United States also did not steal gold from Iraq, certainly not $20 trillion worth of gold!

All those photos of US soldiers with Iraqi gold bars are genuine, but they only show them taking photos with the gold they seized in Iraq.

The Iraqi gold bars (as well as currency and other valuables) that US soldiers seized were transported to the US Army’s headquarters in Kuwait.

There, they were examined by the Secret Service and/or the US Department of Treasury to determine their authenticity and value, before being returned to the Central Iraqi Treasury or the Development Fund of Iraq (DFI).

This is a picture of Lt. Col. Scott Schmidt, who was in charge of the 230th Finance Battalion. The battalion’s job was to seize Iraqi assets like currency, gold bars and other valuables.

In 2003, Iraq had under 6 tonnes of gold reserves, worth less than $70 million. So how can the United States possibly steal 20 trillion dollars worth of gold from Iraq? $20 trillion worth of gold would weigh at least 1,714,285 tonnes in 2003.

Guess how much gold mankind has ever mined in history? Only 205,238 tonnes as of January 2023 – which is less than 12% of what people are claiming that the United States stole from Iraq.

As of January 2023, the value of all the gold in the world is only USD 9.6 trillion – less than half of what the conspiracy theory claims the United States stole from Iraq… and that’s only because gold prices have gone up considerably.

Even with the much higher gold price, it would take an additional 90 years of mining gold before the entire world has $20 trillion worth of gold for the US government to steal.

Now that you know the truth, please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check out!

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Was US Military Caught Stealing Tents From China?!

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Did the Chinese catch the US military stealing humanitarian tents China donated to Syria?!

Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US Military Was Caught Stealing Tents From China!

People are sharing a photo of a US soldier carrying a white humanitarian tent, claiming that it is evidence the US military stole it from China, just like how it stole oil from Syria!

A few days ago, the Chinese discovered that the US military was using tents from China. Only now it turned out these tents are from a humanitarian convoy that China sent to Syria. The Americans are not only stealing oil from Syria, but also humanitarian aid.

Even Iranian state media, Press TV, posted the same photo, and claim:

It’s not only oil that the US steals from Syria!

A photo of an American soldier carrying a Chinese tent has been circulating on social media!

It is now reported that the tents were from a humanitarian convoy that China had sent to Syria.

Truth : US Military Was NOT Caught Stealing Tents From China!

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

Fact #1 : Viral Photo Was Taken In Turkey

First, let me just point out that the viral photo was actually posted by the US Army’s official Instagram account on March 8, 2023. It was also taken in Turkey, not Syria, as alleged.

Fact #2 : US Soldier Was Delivering Aid In Turkey

The claim that the US military was using tents from China is nonsense.

The soldier was carrying the humanitarian tent to aid people affected by the earthquake in Turkey. This was clearly explained in the caption of the photo:

See how @101stabndivaa (101st Airborne Division) is #MakingADifference

First Strike Soldiers continue to work in support of USAID – US Agency for International Development and Turkish relief efforts to those affected by the earthquake in Türkiye. The First Strike Way! 🖤

#StrongerTogether #Peoplehelpingpeople #Support #disasterrelief

Fact #3 : Tent Was Likely Donated By China

Despite counter-claims that the tent was donated by Taiwan, the tent carried by the US soldier appears to be donated by China to help with the humanitarian efforts in Turkey and Syria, following the massive 2023 earthquake.

The tent cover has the printed description in Simplified Chinese (which is used in China, Singapore and Malaysia), instead of Traditional Chinese used in Taiwan:

应急救灾 12m²
数量：1套
体积 : 1830mmx210mm

Emergency Disaster Relief 12m²
Quantity : 1 Set
Dimensions : 1830mmx210mm

Fact #4 : US Military Helped To Deliver Aid

While the China sent tons of tents and other supplies to Turkey, it did not have any base or ability to transport those aid to the affected areas. That was left to AFAD – the Turkish relief agency.

That was where the United States military came in – they used their helicopters at the Incirlik Air Base to deliver donated aid to the affected areas that are hard to reach by trucks.

That’s why you see US soldiers taking things on or off helicopters, which may have been donated by other countries. They were not stealing anything, just helping to deliver them.

Fact #5 : US Has Almost Triple Military Budget Of China

Only the most ignorant Chinese or pro-CCP netizen will believe that the US military needs to steal tents donated by China. And of all things – white humanitarian tents…

Anyone who even does a 5 second check would have discovered that the United States has almost triple the military budget of China.

In 2021, the US military budget was $767.8 billion, while China only spent $270 billion on its military. The US military can definitely afford to pay for more tents than the Chinese.

Fact #6 : No Evidence Chinese Convoy Got Hijacked By US Military

There is no evidence that the tent being carried by the soldier was stolen from a Chinese humanitarian convoy in Syria.

There is also no evidence that any Chinese humanitarian convoy was hijacked by the US military. If that actually happened, China would have protested the hijacking publicly, and the news would have been broadcasted by the many press and propaganda outlets controlled by the CCP government.

Naturally, there was nothing of the sorts. But since when have the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens, ever cared about facts?

Fact #7 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here is just the latest dozen the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

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

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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Does CGTN Video Prove US Blew Up Nord Stream?!

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Does a viral CGTN video show how the US government blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : CGTN Video Shows How US Blew Up Nord Stream Pipelines!

People are sharing a CGTN video that claims to show how the US government blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

Here is a transcript of the video which I will share in two parts below, but feel free to skip to the next section for the facts.

How they blew up Nord Stream

On February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian crisis erupted. Before and after that, the U.S. politicians have repeatedly threatened an attack on the Nord Stream pipeline.

US President Joe Biden : If Russia invades Ukraine, Nord Stream will cease to exist.

US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland : If Russia invades Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.

119 days prior to the Nord Stream explosions, several members of the task force, allegedly led by U.S. President National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, flew to Norway to find a suitable place to plant explosives under the pipeline.

116 days prior to the Nord Stream explosions, a U.S. aircraft carrier has arrived in the Baltic Sea to participate in NATO’s annual naval exercise Baltops-22.

113 days prior to the Nord Stream explosions, the Baltops-22 military exercise has begun. The manoeuvres continued in the Baltic Sea for 13 days.

During the exercise, the U.S. planes regularly circled over the sites of future gas pipeline explosions. The minimum flight altitude was less than 600 meters.

Underwater explosive placement training was performed during the military drills in the water area near the gas pipelines.

103 days prior to the Nord Stream explosions, presumably, a group of Americans in plain clothes arrived at the exercise site by helicopter, and met with the Vice Admiral of the Sixth Fleet of the U.S. Navy, as well as a group of men in plain clothes.

The Americans then went on a deep dive. They placed the C4 explosive on pipes with a protective concrete coating. The operation lasted six hours.

24 days prior to the Nord Stream explosions, U.S. Navy helicopters circled the sites of future pipeline explosions.

On the day of the explosions, a P8 reconnaissance plane allegedly flew over the Baltic Sea and dropped a hydroacoustic buoy that detonated C4 explosives on the gas pipelines.

The explosive destroyed three out of the four gas pipelines. Methane from the pipelines began to spread across the surface of the water. The operator of Nord Streams [sic] estimates that the repair work will cost more than $500 million and take at least a year.

However, due to the U.S. and Western sanctions, the repair of the Nord Streams [sic] is not yet possible. The longer the repairs are delayed, the more difficult they will be.

4 days after the explosions at Nord Streams, Anthony [sic] Blinken said, “This is also a great opportunity to end Europe’s energy dependence on Russia once and for all.

148 days after the explosions at Nord Streams, on February 21, 2023, at Russia’s request, the UN Security Council held a meeting on the North [sic] Streams explosions where a heated debate about the incident and its investigations erupted.

Show less

Here is Part 2 of the CGTN video that claims to show HOW the United States blew up the Nord Stream pipelines!

Read my fact check : https://t.co/d0GHPsm2tM #TechARP #CGTN #China #Russia #Ukraine #UkraineWar #NordStream #SeymourHersh #Conspiracy #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck pic.twitter.com/PJ86b2aYvn

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) March 10, 2023

No Evidence CGTN Video Shows How US Blew Up Nord Stream Pipelines!

This is yet another example of Chinese propaganda, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : CGTN Is An Official Chinese State Media Outlet

China Global Television Network (CGTN) is a state-run and -funded news channel owned by Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television, and controlled by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

While it portrays itself as offering an alternative view of world affairs, it is known as a vital Chinese government propaganda outlet, with its accuracy often questioned.

Even here at Tech ARP, I have personally fact checked CGTN on several occasions.

Fact #2 : CGTN Video Is Based On Seymour Hersh’s Claims

The CGTN video appears to be based entirely on claims by American journalist, Seymour Myron Hersh, and does not offer anything new to add to the story.

Fact #3 : CGTN Video + Seymour Hersh Offered No Actual Evidence

Like Seymour Hersh’s Substack article, the CGTN video is loud and dramatic. Quite unlike the Nord Stream explosions that took place underwater.

However, if you actually analyse both the CGTN video and/or Seymour Hersh’s article, you have to ask – where actually is the evidence?

Seymour Hersh himself based his article on a single anonymous source. Even more concerning, no one else has been able to corroborate his claims more than 5 weeks later.

The viral CGTN video just repeats whatever Seymour Hersh claimed, without offering any evidence. It is important to note that this video was created by what is ostensibly a news organisation that is supposed to verify the facts before publishing.

Fact #4 : Seymour Hersh Claims Are In Dispute

The US government has naturally disputed Seymour Hersh’s claims, calling his article “utterly false and complete fiction”.

What’s concerning to me, as a common person, though is that some of Hersh’s claims are suspect and easily fact checked. Take for example, his claims that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was a committed anti-communist who had been cooperating with US intelligence since the Vietnam War.

It would be quite a feat for Stoltenberg to work with US intelligence during the Vietnam War since he was born in 1959, and would have been only 4-16 years old at that time! Stoltenberg was also pro-Communist as a young teen, and opposed US involvement in the Vietnam War by participating in protest rallies against the US embassy in Oslo.

Seymour Hersh’s claim that an Alta-class minesweeper was used in BALTOPS 2022 is also in dispute. Joe Galvin, OSINT editor of The Outlaw Ocean Project, showed that no Alta-class minesweepers were in the area at that time!

Hersh’s claim that the explosions were triggered by a sonobuoy dropped by a Norwegian P-8 Poseidon aircraft is also in dispute. Norway has five P-8 Poseidon aircraft, but none of them were seen in the area on the day of the explosion – September 26, 2022.

A US Navy P-8 aircraft was spotted in the area, but that aircraft only arrived 90 minutes after the first blast occurred! So it could not have been the P-8 aircraft that triggered the explosions as Hersh claimed.

Fact #5 : Both Nord Stream 1 + 2 Were Not Operational

It is true that both US Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden were against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and President Biden threatened to “end Nord Stream” if Russian invaded Ukraine.

However, Nord Stream 2 never became operational, after Germany suspended its certification on 22 February 2022 – two days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

More importantly, Russia cut or interrupted gas supplies on Nord Stream 1, before shutting it down completely in the months following its invasion of Ukraine:

June 2022 : Russia cut Nord Stream 1 gas supply by 75%.
July 2022 : Russia shut down Nord Stream 1 for 10 days. It reopened at 12.5% of normal capacity.
August 2022 : Russia shut down Nord Stream 1 completely.

Both Nord Stream pipelines had long ceased to supply Europe with gas, long before explosions tore holes in them. There is simply no advantage for the Americans to destroy two pipelines that were no longer supplying Europe with gas.

Fact #6 : Europe Refused To Resume Gas Supply

Only three of the four gas pipelines were destroyed by the explosions, with Pipe B of Nord Stream 2 surviving. Russia offered to resume gas supply to Europe, which was promptly declined.

The refusal shows that Europe itself is eager to wean itself off Russian gas, and not because of earlier US threats to “end Nord Stream”.

The Americans did not have to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines, because Russia’s own actions in disrupting gas supplies and invading Ukraine already did that for them.

Fact #7 : Many Countries Had Plausible Reasons To Destroy Nord Stream

As far as plausible reasons go, many countries had plausible reasons to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines:

US : To prevent allies in Europe from being held hostage by their reliance on cheap Russian gas.
UK : To encourage allies in Europe to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Russia : To stop supplying Europe without breaking its gas supply contracts, and/or to divide Europe.
Ukraine : To unite Europe against Russia.

While motive is important, it is not evidence that a country has committed the crime. There has to be actual evidence that the US / UK / Russia / Ukraine did it.

Regardless of what CGTN or Seymour Hersh may claim, there is simply no conclusive evidence YET that any of those countries are responsible for the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

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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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World of Warships : Get FREE Almirante Abreu DLC!

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The Almirante Abreu : Brazilian Beauty DLC for World of Warships is FREE to download and keep!

Find out how to get it FREE, and make sure you TELL your friends!

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World of Warships

Immerse yourself in thrilling naval battles and assemble an armada of over 400 ships from the first half of the 20th century — from stealthy destroyers to gigantic battleships.

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Choose your favorite branch among 12 in-game nations and battle your way up a comprehensive ship tier system following a natural historical progression.

UPGRADE AND CUSTOMIZE
Install modifications on your ship to fit your playstyle, train your commanders to unlock special skills, and augment your fleet with camouflages, signal flags, and more.

PLAY SOLO OR WITH FRIENDS
If the life of a lone wolf is not for you, invite your friends to a Division and put your co-operative skills to the test! If you’re looking for a real challenge, join a Clan, climb to the top of the Clan league, and strive to be the best on your server!

World of Warships : Almirante Abreu – Brazilian Beauty

Pan-American cruiser Almirante Abreu represents an Almirante Barroso-class protected cruiser ordered by the Brazilian Navy from a British shipyard in the final decade of the 19th century.

The ship is armed with six 152 mm main battery guns and sports fairly good agility. The ship also stands out for having a unique horn sound that plays a military march.

Tier II Pan-American cruiser Almirante Abreu
A Port slot

If you already own Almirante Abreu, you will receive no compensation for her.

This time-limited exclusive DLC is only available between 1 March and 13 April, 2023, and can only be unlocked with World of Warships game accounts that were created through Steam.

World of Warships + Almirante Abreu DLC : How To Get Them FREE!

Make sure you follow these steps to get this game and the DLC for FREE by March 13, 2023.

Log into your existing Steam account, or create a new account.
Go to the World of Warships page on Steam.
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Click on the Add to Account button.

That’s it! They are both now added to your Steam account, and you can download and install them anytime after this.

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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 Destroy NATO Jets, Helicopters In Ukraine?!

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Did Russia just destroy NATO jet fighters and helicopters that were sent to help Ukraine?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-02-27 : Added more details
Originally posted @ 2022-05-22

Claim : Russia Just Destroyed NATO Jets + Helicopters In Ukraine!

People are sharing a video created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), which claim to be evidence of NATO jet fighters and helicopters being shot down by Russia while trying to help Ukraine.

The video has an overlay that says, “Only China has the privilege to watch the live video, not even the western countries and the world.“, and it is accompanied by this message :

☝️Nato sent their jet fighter & Helicopter to help Ukraine, as soon as they entered the border, they were attacked by the Russian missile. not a single one escaped. only the Chinese media reported that news, non in the West.
☝️Nato 战机jet fighter & Helicopter 去幇助鸟克兰一进入边畍就被俄羅斯飞彈打的一个都跑不掉, 只有中國媒體才能報導西方沒有。

Truth : Russia Did Not Destroy NATO Jets + Helicopters In Ukraine!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by 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 does not show actual combat in Ukraine. It is really nothing more than a compilation of two gameplay videos from the 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.

The first half of the video was cropped from an ArmA 3 video called “Combat Helicopter shot down by Missile – 4 Tanks Blown Up – Milsim – ArmA 3” – from 0:11 to 2:08, cutting off just before the videos says “Subscribe for more!“.

Fact #2 : The Original Video Is Blocked In China

Ironically, the original ArmA 3 gameplay videos that the viral fake video used are hosted on YouTube, which is blocked in China.

So the overlay claiming that “only China has the privilege to watch the live video” is not only false, it is a sad reminder of the censorship in China.

The truth is – only people in China have the “privilege” of being lied to using a fake video that is easily available to the rest of the world.

Fact #3 : That Was A Russian Helicopter

We can’t tell what anti-aircraft missiles were fired at the beginning of the video, but we can easily see that they were fired at a Russian helicopter.

Anyone who watched a Rambo movie or two would easily recognise the distinctive shape of the Soviet Union’s “flying tank” – the Mil Mi-24 helicopter, which is also known as Mi-25 or Mi-35. Whatever may be the case, that was not a Western helicopter!

Fact #4 : That Was A Russian Tank

At around 1:00 of the video, it zooms in into a tank before it is destroyed by a missile.

The tank profile is also easily recognisable as a Russian tank, most likely the T-80 main battle tank.

For certain, that is not the side profile of any Western tank in existence!

Fact #5 : That Was An American TOW Missile

At around the 1:44 mark in the fake video, you can see that the soldier and the missile launcher that destroyed one of the tanks.

That is the M220 launcher for the American TOW BGM-71E anti-tank missile, not a Russian missile launcher.

In other words – the video does not show Russian forces destroying NATO tanks and helicopters. It actually shows US forces in the ArmA 3 game shooting down Russian tanks and helicopters.

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

Fact #6 : 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 jets and helicopters to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion is false.

Fact #7 : NATO Refused To Send Aircraft Into Ukraine

NATO also repeatedly refused to create a No-Fly Zone over Ukraine, despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleading for one.

That’s partly because the anti-aircraft missiles NATO countries supplied have successfully prevented Russia from achieving any kind of air superiority in Ukraine.

NATO has also publicly stated that they want to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia, which could lead to a continent-wide conflict.

That is also why they refused to send Ukraine jet fighters to replace those destroyed by Russian attacks.

The claim that NATO is sending jet fighters and helicopters to help Ukraine is bullshit.

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

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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 Mossad Just Admit NATO Is Losing Ukraine War?!

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Did the Mossad just reveal massive NATO losses in the Ukraine War, evidence that it is losing to Russia?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Mossad Just Admitted NATO Is Losing Ukraine War!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are sharing this article which claims that the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, just revealed massive NATO losses in the Ukraine War, evidence that it is losing to Russia!

It’s rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

The military loss data of Russia and Ukraine disclosed by Mossad, Israel’s world-renowned intelligence agency:

Russian military losses: 23 aircraft, 56 helicopters, 200 drones, 889 tanks and armored vehicles, 427 artillery pieces, 12 air defense systems, 18,480 killed, 44,500 injured, and 323 captured. The number of soldiers involved in the war was 418,000.

Ukraine lost 302 aircraft, 212 helicopters, 2,750 drones, 6,320 tanks and armored vehicles, 7,360 cannons, 497 air defense systems, 157,000 killed, 234,000 injured, 17,230 prisoners, and 734,000 soldiers, is in the ninth domestic mobilization of 100,000 soldiers to fill the gap.

234 NATO officers, trainers, and agents died (US, UK)

2458 NATO soldiers died (Poland, Germany, Lithuania…)
A total of 5360 mercenaries died.

The war between Russia and Ukraine made us have to care about international affairs after retirement. In this war between Russia and Ukraine, the victory or defeat of Russia will definitely affect the way of life and living conditions of us and future generations! Judging from the current battle situation, our current prediction results are all wild guesses.

But there are a few signs that have been exposed. It can be seen that this battle: the United States was defeated, the EU was fooled, NATO was stunned, Ukraine was smashed, public officials were silenced, and the third world was awakened.
It has made private property unholy, free speech, science and art have borders, cats and dogs have original sins, Switzerland is no longer neutral, and the hegemony of the US dollar is no longer stable. The Americans found that the third brother was disobedient.
The Germans discovered that no matter how high the GDP is, it cannot keep warm. The Chinese discovered that no matter how loud the speech is, it is not as good as having more nuclear weapons.

I don’t know how this battle will end, but the above results are a large class of realism education, which makes us realize more deeply how far-sighted our great leader Chairman Mao was.
Under such difficult and difficult conditions, he developed two A wise decision to bomb one star! This battle will cause the brainwashing and rhetoric techniques that the West has painstakingly worked on for a hundred years to collapse and be destroyed in one battle.
This battle has awakened the Chinese people. The country is rich, the people are strong and the army is stronger. If you have ammunition in your hands, you must have food. The real economy and the public ownership system play a leading role.
This battle further shows that peace depends on nuclear weapons and military strength! Peace is really made!

We should also soberly remember that Chairman Mao once said, “We must support whatever the enemy opposes, and we must oppose whatever the enemy supports.”
In recent decades, some wealthy and government officials have not only deposited money in American banks, Swiss banks, and European Union banks, but also sent their wives and children to live in these countries.
Now these people are restless and regretful! This is like putting meat next to a wolf’s mouth, and sooner or later, the wolf will eat the meat into its stomach!

The above article is reposted, it is really well written!

Show less

Truth : Mossad Did Not Admit NATO Is Losing Ukraine War!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Mossad Does Not Comment On Ukraine War

Mossad is the national intelligence agency of Israel, and has a policy of not commenting publicly on its operations. Neither does it comment on geopolitics and current events.

Therefore, it is not surprising that there is no such Mossad report on NATO losses in the Ukraine War, or any Mossad statement that NATO was losing the war in Ukraine against Russia.

Fact #2 : There Are No NATO Forces In Ukraine

Even if Mossad does actually comment on current events, it would be ludicrous for it to announce NATO losses, because there are NO NATO forces in Ukraine!

NATO Allied Land Command had long 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 2,458 NATO soldiers died is utter nonsense. Like Russia, Ukraine has foreign volunteers, but these are not NATO forces.

Fact #3 : Russian Losses Far More Than Ukrainian Losses

While Russia has not revealed its losses, Ukraine has publicly posted Russian losses on a daily basis. Of course, Ukrainian figures have not been verified, and are likely inflated.

But the open source intelligence website, Oryx, has been keeping track of material losses on both sides. It collects visual evidence, to verify those losses.

I created this table of the latest Russian and Ukrainian material losses, based on the latest Oryx intelligence results published on Thursday, February 24, 2023.

What is readily obvious is that, with few exceptions, Russia has suffered 3-4X more material losses than Ukraine.

Total Losses	Russia	Ukraine
Tank	1,770	468
Armoured Fighting Vehicle	793	266
Infantry Fighting Vehicle	2,118	493
Armoured Personnel Carrier	298	226
MRAP	44	42
Infantry Mobility Vehicles	180	288
Command Posts	233	9
Engineering Vehicles	283	46
Anti-Tank Missile Systems	38	21
Artillery Support Vehicles	91	22
Towed Artillery	176	103
Self-Propelled Artillery	348	116
Multiple Rocket Launchers	177	39
Anti-Aircraft Guns	17	4
Self-Propelled AA Guns	23	5
SAM Systems	95	87
Radars	23	51
EW Systems	25	1
Aircraft	74	59
Helicopter	78	30
UCAV	7	17
UAV	186	66
Naval Ships	12	25
Trucks, Tankers + Jeeps	2,302	517

Fact #4 : Chairman Mao Zedong Killed Millions Of Chinese Citizens

The article spoke highly of Chairman Mao, so it is incumbent upon me to remind everyone that Mao Zedong is responsible for the deaths of millions of Chinese citizens.

When Chairman Mao initiated land reforms and his Campaign to Suppress Counter-revolutionaries, millions of Chinese citizens were killed. Mao himself claimed that 700,000 people died as “counter-revolutionaries” from 1950-1952.

But nothing beat his Great Leap Forward, which killed approximately 15 to 55 million Chinese citizens from famine, and several million more would die from torture by CCP militia, or suicide.

If that’s not enough, Mao would go on to trigger the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which saw a million or so additional Chinese citizens killed. With glorious leaders like Mao Zedong, China does not need enemies.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here is just the latest dozen the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

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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 Western Ambassadors Evacuate Before Turkey Earthquake?!

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Did Western countries collude to strike Turkey with an earthquake, and evacuated their embassies and ambassadors before it happened?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Western Ambassadors Evacuated Before Turkey Earthquake!

Conspiracy theorists are claiming that Western countries colluded to strike Turkey with an earthquake, and evacuated their embassies and ambassadors before it happened!

UPDATED: List of the countries with leading ambassadors that left Turkey 24 hrs before the earthquakes struck.

1. USA
2 Canada
3. Britain
4. Germany
5. Belgium
6. Italy
7. Holland
8. France
9. Denmark
10. Australia

Coincidence? 👀

The earthquake was caused by a DEW (Direct Energy Weapon) that beamed onto the fault lines. 2 anomalies suggest that the earthquake was man-made. 1) Quakes of such magnitude are usually deep – around 30km deep. These were shallow, about 10 km.

2) There were 2 high magnitude quakes one after another – 7.8 and 7.5 on the Richter scale. Very unusual. There were hardly any other aftershocks between or after the second quake. Turkey has been trying to leave NATO, and has also been blocking Finland’s and Sweden’s entry into NATO. The quakes were a warning to Turkey to behave or else.

Another anomaly was that 15-20 minutes before the first quake, all the underground gas and oil pipelines in that region were shut off.

Show less

Even David “Avocado” Wolfe got in on this conspiracy theory :

List of countries that pulled their ambassadors out of Turkey 24 hours before the earthquake.

✓Canada
✓USA
✓Britain
✓Germany
✓Belgium
✓Italy
✓Holland
✓France

Nothing suspicious here
-Black Conspiracy Reality

No Evidence Western Ambassadors Evacuated Before Turkey Earthquake!

This is just FAKE NEWS created by conspiracy theorists to capitalise on the massive earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.

Fact #1 : No Evidence Western Ambassadors Evacuated Before Earthquake

While conspiracy theorists confidently rattle off the list of eight countries, they did not actually provide any evidence that those countries evacuated their ambassadors.

There is no evidence, whether from credible media reports, or even social media posts, that any ambassador fled Turkey just before the earthquake hit.

Fact #2 : Six Of The Embassies Refuted The Claim

Reuters reached out to all eight embassies in Turkey about these claims that they were evacuated before the earthquake, and six responded.

Representatives of the embassies of Canada, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherland, and France, told Reuters by email that the allegations are false. The US and Belgian embassies in Turkey have yet to respond.

Fact #3 : Western Ambassadors Seen In Turkey After Earthquake

Several Western ambassadors were seen in photos taken soon after the massive earthquake hit Turkey (here, here, here, here, here, and here).

Fact #4 : Embassies Temporarily Closed Over Terror Threats

The viral claims are sometimes linked to an article by Arab News, which point to the closure of Western embassies three days before the earthquake hit Turkey and Syria.

However, anyone who bothered to read the article would realise that those countries temporarily closed their embassies or issued travel warnings, following a series of far-right protests in Europe, which included several incidents of burning copies of the Quran.

That decision to temporarily close the embassies came right after Turkish police arrested 15 Daesh suspects who were accused of targeting consulates and non-Muslim houses of worship.

The closure of the embassies had nothing to do with the earthquake that came three days later. There is also no evidence that any ambassador or embassy employee was evacuated from Turkey over these security threats.

I should also point out that the US embassy in Turkey did not close over these perceived terror threats.

Fact #5 : Directed Energy Weapons Did Not Cause Earthquake

There is no evidence that Western countries used Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) to cause the earthquake on February 6, 2023.

Directed Energy Weapons is a “catch-all” term referring to weapons that use energy, instead of projectiles, like laser, microwave, particle beams, and sound beams.

While it sounds impressive, directed energy weapons are nowhere near powerful enough to cause earthquakes. Their power also decreases exponentially with range, so they can only be used at relatively close ranges.

Fact #6 : Only Turkey + Iran Claim To Have Directed Energy Weapons

Quite a number of countries are developing directed energy weapons, including China, the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

However, only Turkey and Iran claim to have actually deployed such weapons, with Turkey claiming the first use of directed energy weapons in combat, when it used its ALKA directed-energy weapon to shoot down a Wing Loong II UAV in Libya in August 2019.

The ALKA directed energy weapon has a peak power output of 50 kW, and is designed to destroy drones using its laser at up to 500 m distance, and electromagnetic systems at up to 1 km distance.

Fact #7 : There Were Over 2,100 Aftershocks

The claim that there were “hardly any other aftershocks” is nonsense. A total of 2,109 aftershocks were recorded from 6 to 12 February. By 20 February, over 6,000 aftershocks were recorded.

On top of that, over 320 of those aftershocks had a magnitude of 4.0, with 25 of them recorded within six hours of the main tremor.

Fact #8 : Turkey Is Not Trying To Leave NATO

The claim that Turkey is trying to leave NATO is nonsense.

On January 23, 2023, a Turkish politician called Ethem Sancak said that Turkey might leave NATO in 5-6 months over provocative actions by other NATO members.

However, two days later, a spokesperson for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, Omer Celik, refuted the claim:

We face such things in every election (calls for ending Turkey’s membership of NATO). These are not the things that we will worry about. Those who call for terminating Turkey’s membership of NATO do not talk sense.

This is out of the question. We are one of the founding countries of NATO. They have no right to say such things. What they say would be a luxury for NATO.

I should point out that leaving NATO would automatically open the door for Finland and Sweden to be accepted as a member state, as Turkey is the only country objecting to their ascension.

That is one of the many reasons why Turkey won’t be leaving NATO quite so soon, even if they are thinking about it – Turkey would lose its veto leverage over Finland and Sweden.

Fact #9 : Gas + Oil Pipelines Shut Down After Earthquake

The claim that gas and oil pipelines were shut down 15-20 minutes before the earthquake struck is false. Oil and gas pipelines were shut down after the earthquake, not before.

If they were shut down before the earthquake, that would imply that the Turkish government was in cahoots with the dastardly Western governments using directed energy weapons to punish them for wanting to leave NATO which would deprive Turkey of its ability to blackmail Finland and Sweden.

Can you now see how idiotic such a conspiracy theory sounds, when you lay out the trail of nonsense in the open?

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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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Are Nazis From Japan Fighting For Ukraine?!

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Are Nazis from Japan fighting for Ukraine against Russia?!

Take a look at the viral photos, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Nazis From Japan Are Fighting For Ukraine Against Russia!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are sharing photos of what they suggest are Nazis from Japan in Ukraine, helping to fight against Russia!

Japanese Nazis are fighting in Ukraine

Team Japanese in Ukraine

Anarchy is alive and in Ukraine

Note : I placed the misleading overlay to prevent the photos from being further abused.

Truth : Nazis From Japan Are Not Fighting For Ukraine Against Russia!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Photos Are Unrelated

After investigating the viral screenshot, I was able to confirm that they consist of two sets of photos that are unrelated.

The first set of photos, which show four soldiers in Ukraine, was posted by @rattionyade on February 10, 2023.

The second photo is completely unrelated to the first set of photos, and was posted by @xenovampiro (as well as other people) on February 12, 2023.

Fact #2 : Rising Sun Flag Is Not Japanese Nazi Flag

The Rising Sun flag is not the Japanese version of Germany’s Nazi flag. This is actually the Imperial Japanese Navy ensign called Jyūrokujō-Kyokujitsu-ki (十六条旭日旗) that was adopted on May 15, 1870 – over 150 years ago!

The Imperial Japanese Navy used it until the end of World War 2 in 1945. However, it was readopted and has been used by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force on all its ships since June 30, 1954.

Fact #3 : Japanese Nazi Flag Photo Was From 2014

The photo showing men carrying Japanese Rising Sun and Nazi Germany flags was not taken recently, or even in Ukraine.

It is unknown who took this photo, but it was possibly a photographer from the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, as the photo was posted by Asahi Shimbun editorial board member Itaru Tominaga (@tanutinn) on Twitter on August 2, 2015, with the description:

東京での日本の国家主義者のデモンストレーション。
彼らは安倍首相と彼の保守的な政治を支持している。

Japanese nationalist demonstration in Tokyo. They are supporting PM Abe and his conservative administration.

On further investigation, I found out that Tominaga deleted the tweet because it was misleading when he posted it – it was taken almost a year ago, on April 20, 2014 – the 125th anniversary of the birth of Adolf Hitler.

On that day, about 40 Japanese protestors marched through the busy entertainment area of the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo, bellowing racist chants about South Korea and China. While the Asahi Shimbun article is no longer available online, you can download a copy here.

In short – this viral photo was taken in Tokyo, Japan, on 20 April 2014, and had nothing to do with Ukraine or the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Fact #4 : Ukraine Has Foreign Volunteer Battalions Since 2014

Informal volunteer military groups were formed in spring 2014, from local militias and paramilitary groups, in response to the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

The Ukraine Ministry of Defence later formed 32 volunteer battalions called “Territorial Defence Battalions”, and the Ukrainian parliament voted on 6 October 2014 to allow foreign fighters to join the military. In December 2014, President Petro Poroshenko promising Ukrainian citizenship to foreign fighters who signed up to fight.

Ironically, volunteers from Russia formed the largest group of foreign fighters in Ukraine! Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, about 3,000 Russian citizens signed up to fight for Ukraine.

Fact #5 : Volunteers From 60 Countries Now Fighting For Ukraine

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian government established the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine.

By 6 March 2022, more than 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries signed up to fight for Ukraine against the Russian invasion. So it would not be surprising to find volunteers from Japan fighting for Ukraine.

@rattionyade, who posted the viral photo on the left, appears to be one of the Japanese volunteers fighting for Ukraine, as he often posts about his life in Ukraine.

Back in November 2022, it was revealed that volunteers from 60 countries are now fighting for Ukraine. Here are some of the units that were formed from those volunteers:

Canadian Brigade : Ukrainian-Canadian volunteers, including former servicemen from Canada
Norman Brigade : veterans from Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa, and Poland.
Freedom of Russia Legion : former servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as other Russian and Belarusian volunteers.
Russian Volunteer Corps : formed from Russian volunteers who have been fighting for Ukraine since 2014.
Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion : Mostly Chechen volunteers who fought in the First Chechen War and Second Chechen War against Russia.
Pahonia Regiment : Belarusian volunteers

Fact #6 : Russia Also Has Foreign Volunteer Forces

Foreigners have also signed up to fight on the Russian side, either as members of the Russian diaspora, for ideological reasons, or as mercenaries hired by the Russian government.

Serbian foreign fighters : International Brigade, Seventh Brigade, Serbian-Hussar Regiment, Ural Unit, First Slavic Unit, Batman Unit, Rezanj Unit, Jovan Šević Detachment
Spanish foreign fighters : Carlos Palomino International Brigade, DKO (Volunteer Communist Unit), Interunit
White nationalists, neo-Nazis, fascists and Christian extremists from Europe and North America : Continental Unity, Orthodox Dawn Battalion, Legion of Saint Istvan.
Syrian Arab Army : 25th Special Mission Forces Division

Fact #7 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

Here is just the latest dozen the other wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far:

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

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

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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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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Warpips : How To Get This Game For FREE!

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Warpips – a war strategy game – is FREE to download and keep for a limited time!

Find out how to get it FREE, and make sure you TELL your friends!

Don’t forget to LIKE the Tech ARP Facebook page or Telegram channel to get these updates quickly!

Warpips

Warpips is what would happen if Command and Conquer and Nexus Wars had a baby made out of tanks and napalm! Set loose the engine of war and watch the chaos of physics-based combat explode onto the battlefield!

Assemble your army from a diverse roster of infantry, vehicles and airplanes. Deploy troops, call down airstrikes, and launch missiles – all without that pesky micromanagement.

Fast Streamlined Combat

Focus on the big picture; no complex micro
Each round lasts between 10-20 minutes
Easy to learn, hard to master

Honest Monetisation

Buy the game – you get the game
No microtransactions
No pay to win

Randomised Battles

Randomly generated battles
Different each time you play
Lots of replayability

Deep Strategy

hoose complementary unit synergies
Infinite strategic combinations
Fully unlockable upgrade tree

Tight Combat

Spawn infantry, vehicles, airplanes and helicopters
Call down air strikes, missile attacks and artillery
Units take cover and respond intelligently to their situation
Everything explodes!

Warpips : How To Get It FREE!

Make sure you follow these steps to get this game for FREE before 12 AM (GMT+8) on 10 February 2023!

Go to the Epic Games Store.
Log into your Epic Games Store account, or create a new account.
Go to the Warpips page in the Epic Games Store.
Click on the Get button.
In the checkout page, click Place Order.

That’s it! It is now added to your Epic Games account, and you can download and install it anytime after this.

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

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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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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World of Warships : How To Get FREE Welcome Pack!

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The Publisher Weekend Welcome Pack for World of Warships is FREE to download and keep!

Find out how to get it FREE, and make sure you TELL your friends!

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World of Warships

Immerse yourself in thrilling naval battles and assemble an armada of over 400 ships from the first half of the 20th century — from stealthy destroyers to gigantic battleships.

Change the look of your ship, choose upgrades to suit your play style, and go into battle with other players!

PLAY FOR FREE
Download and play World of Warships absolutely FREE — you can progress through the game’s countless ship trees simply by playing the game and accumulating experience.

REWARDING PROGRESSION
Choose your favorite branch among 12 in-game nations and battle your way up a comprehensive ship tier system following a natural historical progression.

UPGRADE AND CUSTOMIZE
Install modifications on your ship to fit your playstyle, train your commanders to unlock special skills, and augment your fleet with camouflages, signal flags, and more.

World of Warships : Free Welcome Pack!

Welcome to the Wargaming Publisher Weekend on Steam! Here, have a nice little gift to remember it by.

Unlock this package to get an exclusive patch featuring some of the war machines that star in Wargaming titles, as well 3 full days of Wargaming Premium Account, which grants +50% XP, Credits, Free XP, and Commander XP per battle.

The Wargaming Publisher Weekend patch
3 days of Wargaming Premium Account

This time-exclusive DLC can only be unlocked with World of Warships game accounts created through Steam.

World of Warships + Welcome Pack : How To Get Them FREE!

Make sure you follow these steps to get this game and the DLC for FREE by February 22, 2023.

Log into your existing Steam account, or create a new account.
Go to the World of Warships page on Steam.
Click on the Play Game button.
Go to the Publisher Weekend Welcome Pack page on Steam.
Click on the Add to Account button.

That’s it! They are both now added to your Steam account, and you can download and install them anytime after this.

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

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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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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World of Tanks Blitz : Free Resource Resupply Pack!

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The Resource Resupply Pack for World of Tanks Blitz is FREE for a Limited Time!

Find out how to get World of Tanks Blitz + the Resource Resupply Pack for FREE, and TELL your friends!

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World of Tanks Blitz

Jump into a free-to-play MMO action shooter featuring a huge roster of over 300 massive tanks, stunning graphics, and intuitive touch-screen controls. Take on short, action-packed 7-vs-7 tank battles where real and alternate histories collide-no matter where you are!

World of Tanks Blitz is built specifically for optimal online mobile gameplay and is currently available on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Over 300 iconic vehicles from nations across the world
26 unique battle arenas
Strategic 7-vs-7 online multiplayer
Free-to-win: equal access to in-game elements for everyone
Deep progression system: 10 tiers of tanks to unlock and explore
Innovative crew upgrades to enhance your tank and refine your gaming style
Constant updates and graphical enhancements; optimization for various devices
Easy to learn, intuitive touch-screen controls
In-game and Clan chat functionality
Battle Missions that open up new, personalized challenges and let players earn bonuses and achievements
Clan functionality allowing players to unite in their pursuit of victory and invite their friends to play online

World of Tanks Blitz : Free Supplies Pack

A free bundle with resources for playing effectively! Earn more XP and credits with Premium Account, and spend credits on important purchases. In addition, open Customization Containers to win in style!

This bundle includes:

3 Customization Containers
3 days of Premium Account
250,000 credits

Note: This bundle can only be received once.

World of Tanks + Supplies Pack : How To Get Them Free!

Make sure you follow these steps to get this game and the DLC for FREE by February 22, 2023.

Log into your existing Steam account, or create a new account.
Go to the World of Tanks Blitz page on Steam.
Click on the Play Game button.
Go to the World of Tanks Blitz – Resource Resupply Pack page on Steam.
Click on the Download button.

That’s it! They are both now added to your Steam account, and you can download and install them anytime after this.

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

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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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World of Tanks : How To Get FREE Supplies Pack!

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The Free Supplies Pack for World of Tanks is available for a Limited Time!

Find out how to get them FREE, and tell your friends!

SUBSCRIBE to our Google News feed, Facebook page or Telegram channel to get these updates quickly!

World of Tanks

Command over 600 machines from World War II through the mid-20th century and prove yourself against players from around the world.

Dive into the ultimate action experience with epic PvP clashes, measured tactical decisions and thoughtful cooperation in your pursuit of victory!

PICK YOUR TANK

More than 600 tanks and military vehicles from history’s greatest tank-building nations are waiting for you! Choose from one of five vehicle types and familiarize yourself with their unique features and specialties. Find the perfect combination of vehicle and nation that fits your playstyle and be unstoppable!

MASTER YOUR SKILLS

Explore maps to find the best positions for your machine. Learn to aim for the opponents’ weak spots and to hide your own. Consider opposing vehicles and their tactical roles. Use it all to develop the best-fitting strategy to be the triumphant winner!

PLAY ALONE OR TEAM UP

Roll out and match up with random players or organize yourself a platoon and enjoy the exciting experience of playing with friends. Whichever you choose, have fun!

UPGRADE AND CUSTOMIZE

Unlock new modules, pick your equipment, and make vehicles truly yours with lots of customization options. Personalize your vehicles with historical camo, custom color schemes, emblems, and personal numbers.

PLAY MULTIPLE GAME MODES

Play on your own or join team clashes. Strive for fame and recognition and climb the leaderboards. Create your own clan and gather a company of playmates. Take part in special events and claim unique rewards. In World of Tanks, there’s a mode for every playstyle and every player!

160 MILLION PEOPLE CAN’T BE WRONG

Millions of players are having a blast in World of Tanks every day. Join the ever-growing community and meet new friends!

START YOUR JOURNEY NOW

Excitement and fun are just a few clicks away! Enter the code “GOWOTSTEAM” to receive a Premium tank and a bunch of useful resources, complete several Bootcamp missions to learn the basics and jump right into the action!

World of Tanks : Free Supplies Pack!

Grab a bunch of useful resources with the Free Supplies Pack. This DLC contains days of WoT Premium Account to speed up your progress in the game, a set of large consumables that will come in handy during heated battles, and some credits for your needs.

Consumables. Large Repair Kit will instantly fix all the damaged modules of your tank at once so that you can rush back into action. Large First Aid Kit will heal all currently injured crew members and remove the stun effect caused by artillery shells. Automatic Fire Extinguisher will automatically put out a fire if you happen to catch one—you won’t even need to press a button!

Credits. Credits are the main in-game currency. You can spend credits on new modules, equipment, and vehicles. Credits are also used to repair vehicles after battle, purchase crew directives, and resupply ammunition and consumables.

Premium Account. When you have an active WoT Premium Account, you get a lot of extra benefits that accelerate your progress and make the game even more enjoyable, such as the following:

Bonuses: WoT Premium Account provides a +50% bonus to Combat XP, Crew XP, and credits earned in battle.
Applicable modifier to XP: Apply an additional ×3 multiplier to XP earned in your latest victorious Random Battle five times per day.
Credit Reserve: Receive an extra bonus of up to 750,000 credits within seven days. Also, a 10% bonus to credits earned goes into a special vault.
Premium missions: Owners of WoT Premium Account will have the opportunity to fulfill a series of three simple daily missions.
Platoon bonus: In a Platoon, WoT Premium Account holders receive a 15% credit bonus. Also, fellow Platoon members who are not holders receive a 10% bonus.
You also receive one more slot for excluded maps.

This bundle contains:

3 days of WoT Premium Account
150,000 credits
3 Large Repair Kits
3 Large First Aid Kits
3 Automatic Fire Extinguishers

DLC can be added to your World of Tanks account only once.
You will be able to use this DLC only if you play from the game account created on Steam.

World of Tanks + Supplies Pack : How To Get Them Free!

Make sure you follow these steps to get this game and the DLC for FREE by February 22, 2023.

Log into your existing Steam account, or create a new account.
Go to the World of Tanks page on Steam.
Click on the Play Game button.
Go to the World of Tanks – Free Supplies Pack page on Steam.
Click on the Download button.

That’s it! They are both now added to your Steam account, and you can download and install them anytime after this.

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.

Recommended Reading

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Did Russia Destroy NATO Arms Convoy To Ukraine?!

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Did Russia just destroy a NATO convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, and other armaments destined for Ukraine?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

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!

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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World of Tanks : Get Free Automatic Fire Extinguishers!

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World of Tanks is giving away three automatic fire extinguishers for a Limited Time!

Find out how to get them FREE, and tell your friends!

Don’t forget to LIKE the Tech ARP Facebook page or Telegram channel to get these updates quickly!

World of Tanks

Command over 600 machines from World War II through the mid-20th century and prove yourself against players from around the world.

Dive into the ultimate action experience with epic PvP clashes, measured tactical decisions and thoughtful cooperation in your pursuit of victory!

PICK YOUR TANK

MASTER YOUR SKILLS

PLAY ALONE OR TEAM UP

Roll out and match up with random players or organize yourself a platoon and enjoy the exciting experience of playing with friends. Whichever you choose, have fun!

UPGRADE AND CUSTOMIZE

PLAY MULTIPLE GAME MODES

160 MILLION PEOPLE CAN’T BE WRONG

Millions of players are having a blast in World of Tanks every day. Join the ever-growing community and meet new friends!

START YOUR JOURNEY NOW

World of Tanks : Automatic Fire Extinguishers

Did you know that it’s the fire extinguisher’s birthday today? February 10 is International Fire Extinguisher Day, and the date choice is not random: On February 10, 1863, the patent for the fire extinguisher was registered by Alanson Crane from Virginia, U.S.A. This item has been around for at least 160 years, saving millions of lives all over the world!

A fire extinguisher is a very important consumable in World of Tanks, able to save your vehicle from a preliminary trip to the Garage, so we just couldn’t ignore the occasion. We’re launching a themed Community Giveaway: Like this post and leave a comment to get a couple of Automatic Fire Extinguishers as a guaranteed reward

World of Tanks + Automatic Fire Extinguishers : How To Get Them Free!

Make sure you follow these steps to get World of Tanks and the three (3) free automatic fire extinguishers! Just make sure you do this by February 13, 2023!

Log into your existing Steam account, or create a new account.
Go to the World of Tanks page on Steam.
Click on the Play Game button.
Go to the World of Tanks Automatic Fire Extinguisher giveaway page on Steam.
Click on the Like (Rate Up) button at the bottom of giveaway post.
Click on the Discuss button to go to the Discussion page.
Write a couple of words in the comments about what you believe to be the best consumable setup.

That’s it! After the giveaway ends on February 13, 2023, the World of Tanks will send the free automatic fire extinguishers to your Steam account!

Please note that any comments that break the discussion rules may be deleted or excluded.

Please Support My Work!

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

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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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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Does Video Show F-22 Shooting China Spy Balloon?!

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Does a viral video show a close-up of the F-22 Raptor fighter jet shooting down the spy balloon from China?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Viral Video : Close-Up Of F-22 Shooting Spy Balloon From China!

This video is going viral on WhatsApp and social media platform, claiming to show a close-up of the F-22 Raptor fighter jet shooting down the spy balloon from China.

Screenshots of the video showing the F-22 fighter jet firing a missile at the spy balloon have also been used in some editorials in pro-CCP websites, and even a Falun Gong-affiliated website!

Truth : Viral Video Of F-22 Shooting Down Spy Balloon Is From Game!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : F-22 Shoot Down Audio Is Genuine

First, I should point out that the audio in the video is genuine, and accurately depicts the communication between the F-22 pilots and Huntress (NORAD’s Eastern Air Defense Sector Controller) on an open channel that anyone can listen to.

The audio clip was apparently recorded by Ken Harrell, a 68 year-old retiree and aviation hobbyist, who was listening in. This was confirmed by US Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek:

The audio is authentic and depicts communication from the 1st Fighter Wing pilot confirming the aerial target was destroyed. It’s important to clarify this audio is communication between the pilot and air traffic control that can be heard by anyone on the same frequency

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Fake-video-of-F-22-firing-missile-at-Chinese-spy-balloon.mp4?_=2

Fact #2 : Audio Subtitles Are Wrong

However, the subtitles are mangled and at least partly wrong. Here is an abridged transcript of the audio communication between the F-22 pilots and air traffic control (Huntress) during the spy balloon shoot-down.

HUNTRESS : Five miles offshore.

FRANK01 : Frank One is switches hot.

FRANK02 : Frank Two is switches hot.

…..

HUNTRESS : HUNTRESS. Six miles offshore.

FRANK01 : FRANK01. Splash one! TOI 1.

HUNTRESS : HUNTRESS copy. Splash.

EAGLE02 : That is a t-kill. The balloon is completely destroyed.

EAGLE01 : There appears to be metal chaff cloud. It’s definitely metal breaking apart. Screen for an altitude check.

Fact #3 : Viral Video Was Edited From Game Video!

I traced the viral video to a YouTube channel called Growling Sidewinder, which posted the original video on 6 February 2023.

It appears that someone edited Growling Sidewinder’s video to remove the title sequence at the beginning, and the credit at the end, before sharing it on WhatsApp and social media.

Growling Sidewinder clearly stated that the video used the real audio recording, but the video itself was recreated using Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) – a flight simulation game released in 2008 by Eagle Dynamics and The Fighter Collection.

Last year, I fact checked a viral video purportedly depicting Russian forces shooting down NATO jets and helicopters. In that example, the fake news creator used footage from the video game, ArmA 3 (Armed Assault 3).

Fact #4 : F-22 Fired At A Long Distance

When I watched the video, I immediately knew that it was fake, because it showed the F-22 engaging the Chinese spy balloon at about the same altitude, and at a very short distance.

What many people may not realise is that the F-22 fighter jet fired its AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at a considerable distance away from the spy balloon. This was confirmed by numerous videos recorded by the public from a distance.

In addition, we also know that the F-22 fighter jet was only able to attain an altitude of 58,000 feet, while the Chinese spy balloon was much higher – at about 65,000 feet. The Chinese spy balloon was floating approximately 7,000 feet (2.1 km) above the F-22 fighter jet!

Based on the audio transcript, it took about 7 seconds for the Sidewinder missile, which travels at over Mach 2.5, to hit the spy balloon, roughly placing the F-22 about 6 kilometres away from the balloon when it fired the missile.

Fact #5 : The Spy Balloon Did Not Explode

If you watch the publicly released videos of the AIM-9X missile hitting the spy balloon – and there are many, you would quickly realise that the viral video is fake, because it showed a large explosion.

The actual videos only show black and white smoke when the missile exploded next to the spy balloon’s payload.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

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

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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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 US Paint Chinese Balloon Kill On F-22 Fighter Jet?!

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Did the US Air Force paint a balloon kill on the F-22 fighter jet that shot down the Chinese spy balloon?!

Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US Painted Chinese Balloon Kill On F-22 Fighter Jet!

Pro-CCP netizens are either mocking or criticising the US Air Force for painting a balloon kill on the F-22 fighter jet that shot down the Chinese spy balloon!

美军F-22战斗机创造了当今最高高度空中击杀记录：6万5千英尺。
据说回来后还给飞机纹了个图案纪念战功，你们说气人不？

The U.S. F-22 fighter jet has created the current record for the highest altitude air kill: 65,000 feet. It is said that after returning, he even tattooed a pattern on the plane to commemorate the military exploits. Don’t you think it is annoying?

Well here it is the #Balloon decal 😁

五毛：高射炮打蚊子‼️

北京时间2月5日03:39，从美国弗吉尼亚州兰利空军基地起飞的一架F-22战斗机，在近18000米（58000英尺）高度发射的一枚价值约40万美元的AIM-9X“响尾蛇”红外制导空空导弹，击落了一个在20000米左右（65000英尺）高度飞行的价值数百美元的中共高空气球，气球残骸随后坠落于南卡罗来纳州近海海域。

Fifty cents: anti-aircraft weapon hit mosquitoes‼ ️

At 03:39 on February 5, Beijing time, an F-22 fighter jet that took off from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, USA, launched an AIM-9X worth about 400,000 US dollars at an altitude of nearly 18,000 meters (58,000 feet). The “Sidewinder” infrared-guided air-to-air missile shot down a CCP high-altitude balloon worth hundreds of dollars flying at an altitude of about 20,000 meters (65,000 feet), and the balloon wreckage then fell in the waters off the coast of South Carolina.

Truth : US Did Not Paint Chinese Balloon Kill On F-22 Fighter Jet!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : It Was First Official F-22 Air-to-Air Kill

First, we need to acknowledge that the shooting down of the Chinese spy balloon was officially the first air-to-air kill for the F-22 Raptor fighter jet.

Although the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor entered US Air Force service in December 2005, it has not engaged in any air-to-air combat. Its combat sorties had so far consisted of very limited bombing missions in the Middle East.

So shooting down the Chinese spy balloon was the first time the F-22 was “blooded” in air combat, albeit against an easy target that could not manoeuvre to evade, or fire back.

I mention this point because it is entirely possible and legitimate for the pilot to paint a balloon kill on his F-22 fighter jet.

Fact #2 : Viral Photo Was Edited From 2020 Photo

While it is possible that the F-22 fighter jet that shot down the Chinese spy balloon may sport a kill marking of some sort, there was no official release of any photo of such a kill marking or decal.

What I can confirm is that the viral photo was edited, by painting a white balloon onto a photo originally posted by the Edwards Air Force Base on April 3, 2020.

Here is a photo comparison I created, showing the Edwards Air Force Base Facebook post, and the fake viral photo.

Fact #3 : FRANK01 Flew From Langley Air Force Base

The viral photo shows an F-22 Raptor flown by Major Brandon Burfeind from the 411th Flight Test Squadron, based out of Edwards Air Force Base in California. His F-22 fighter jet has a fuselage number 007, and the airframe number 91-4007.

The F-22 Raptor that shot down the Chinese spy balloon was flown by an unnamed pilot using the callsign FRANK01, from the Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.

While we do not know the name or rank of the FRANK01 pilot yet, his F-22 fighter jet is definitely not the same as the one shown in the viral photo, as he is based on a different USAF base in a different state.

Interesting note : The FRANK01 callsign is an apparent homage to World War I Medal of Honor recipient First Lieutenant Frank Luke Jr., who is known as the “Arizona Balloon Buster” for shooting down 14 German balloons, as well as four planes.

Fact #4 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This appears to be yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

All of the wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far have proven to be false… at every instance. So please watch out for such false claims.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, 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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Can You Buy China Spy Balloon On Alibaba For $18?!

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Can you buy the infamous spy balloon from China on Alibaba for just RMB 118 / $18?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : You Can Buy China Spy Balloon On Alibaba For $18!

Pro-CCP netizens are trying to push the narrative that the infamous spy balloon from China is really a cheap weather balloon that anyone can buy from Alibaba!

They are sharing a screenshot of an Alibaba store on WhatsApp and social media platforms, claiming that you can buy the same “spy balloon” for just RMB 118 / $18!

You can buy this balloon to scare the US for 118 RMB.. warning fighter jets might be sent to shoot it down..

Truth : You Cannot Buy China Spy Balloon On Alibaba For $18!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) or pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Chinese Balloon Was Not A Weather Balloon

First, let us start with a basic fact – the US Air Force shot down a spy balloon from China, not a weather balloon.

Weather balloons are common – thousands are launched daily across the world to collect information on the temperature, wind and moisture in the upper atmosphere.

Weather balloons are not very large – expanding from 6 feet (1.8 metres) to 20 feet (6 metres) in diameter as they rise in altitude. Their payloads are also small, consisting of a small box with a few sensors.

The Chinese spy balloon that the US Air Force shot down was not only much larger at around 90 feet (27.5 metres) wide, it also had a very large payload that included large solar panels, and even propellers to control its movement.

Real weather balloons also do not travel far – they generally go up to a high altitude and stay there. Spy balloons, on the other hand, need to travel long distances. This Chinese balloon travelled thousands of kilometres from China to Alaska to Canada, before reaching the continental United States.

Fact #2 : RMB 118 Weather Balloon Is Small

I traced the viral photo to this Alibaba store selling latex weather balloons. As expected, the RMB 118 / $18 balloon that pro-CCP netizens were promoting is small…

The store offered four sizes, with slightly elevated prices in US dollars (it’s cheaper in Chinese Yuan):

48 inches (4 feet) : $4.80
72 inches (6 feet) : $6.40
96 inches (8 feet) : $17.80
120 inches (10 feet) : $23.60

As I pointed above, the spy balloon that flew from China all the way to the United States was about 90 feet (27.5 metres) wide. It’s roughly 729X larger than the weather balloon sold on Alibaba!

Fact #3 : Viral Photo Was Edited

The viral photo appears to have been edited, by taking a screenshot of the Alibaba store using a mobile phone, and combining it with a photo of the actual spy balloon from China.

The intent appears to make it look like they are both the same balloon, and are being sold on Alibaba for just RMB 118 / $18.

The truth is – the actual Alibaba store does not show any photos of the spy balloon from China, which has a large payload platform and solar panels.

Instead, the Alibaba store only shows this photo of a latex weather balloon being held by a man – a good indication of just how small it is, compared to the real spy balloon. The other photos in the Alibaba store shows the available balloon sizes, and how much they weigh.

Fact #4 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This is just another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), or pro-CCP netizens.

All of the wumao articles and videos that I looked at so far have proven to be false… at every instance. So please watch out for such false claims.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

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

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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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Why US Shot Down Chinese Spy Balloon With Missile!

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Find out why the US Air Force shot down the Chinese spy balloon using an expensive $400,000 AIM-9X Sidewinder missile!

Claim : US Shot Down Spy Balloon Using Expensive Missile!

Pro-CCP netizens are mocking the US government for shooting down a cheap Chinese weather balloon using an expensive $400,000 AIM-9X Sidewinder missile!

US so panic of a balloon

they sent FOUR (4) fighter jets (2 x F-22s, 2 x F-15s) to “survey the situation”, before firing that $400k AIM-9x Sidewinder A2A missile to shoot the balloon down.

America used a $400,000 missile fired from a $216,000,000 fighter jet to shoot down…

… a weather balloon.

China can just send more balloons….

Why US Shot Down Chinese Spy Balloon With Missile!

This is yet another example of PROPAGANDA created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Were Two Chinese Balloons

On Friday, February 3, 2023, China admitted that the massive balloon hovering over the US state of Montana belonged to them, but claimed that it was a weather balloon and not a spy balloon.

Later that same Friday, a second balloon was spotted over Latin America. It took China another 3 days to admit that it was theirs, and another “weather balloon” that was “blown off course”.

Fact #2 : Chinese Balloon Was Not A Weather Balloon

Weather balloons are common – thousands are launched daily across the world to collect information on the temperature, wind and moisture in the upper atmosphere.

The Chinese weather balloon that the US Air Force just shot down is not only much larger at around 90 feet (27.5 metres) wide, it also has a very large payload that includes large solar panels, and even propellers to control its movement.

The kinds of weather balloons that are launched twice a day from Weather Service offices are typically just a little box that has a temperature sensor, relative humidity sensor, pressure sensor and then a little tiny transmitter. Based on the photos that have been going around, there’s obviously a lot more equipment on this one.
– Alexandra Anderson-Frey, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Washington

Real weather balloons also do not travel far – they generally go up to a high altitude and stay there. Spy balloons, on the other hand, need to travel long distances. This Chinese balloon has travelled all the way from China to Alaska to Canada, before reaching the continental United States.

The reported characteristics of this balloon don’t really match anything that we’re familiar with. This has been traveling at a much longer distance than what would be these standard weather balloons.

[Standard weather balloons] go up over one particular place and up to about 50,000 feet in the atmosphere, and then that’s it, they’re done. They don’t travel large distances, so I think that there’s pretty significant differences between typical weather balloons and this reported balloon.
– Jonathan Porter, Chief Meteorologist at Accuweather

Fact #3 : Chinese Balloon Was At Very High Altitude

The US Air Force sent two F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to take down the spy balloon, with two F-15 fighters to probably take videos and photos of the event.

While Chinese netizens may snigger at how the USAF has to use such an expensive fighter jet to shoot down a cheap Chinese balloon, they ignore the fact that the Chinese spy balloon was operating at a very high altitude of about 65,000 feet – that’s 20 km above ground level!

The F-22 Raptor was likely chosen for the task as it was most capable of flying to such a high altitude while loaded with missiles. Many jet fighters have “similar” maximum service ceilings, but their true service ceilings are often much lower, limited by the amount of armament and/or fuel they carry.

Fact #4 : Missile Was Necessary To Shoot Down Balloon

In the end, the F-22 Raptor with the callsign FRANK01 attained an altitude of 58,000 feet (17.7 km) before firing an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at the balloon. It was the first air-to-air combat kill for the F-22.

While Chinese netizens mocked the use of such an expensive missile, the AIM-9X Sidewinder is the smallest and cheapest air-to-air missile in the USAF arsenal.

It would be impossible for the F-22 Raptor pilot to use its 20 mm M61A2 Vulcan rotary cannon to shoot down the balloon, which is still 7,000 feet (2.1 km) above it!

In case you are wondering – the M61A2 Vulcan has an effective range of only 2,000 feet (600 metres). So a missile was necessary to bring down the Chinese spy balloon, and the AIM-9X was the right tool for the job.

Interestingly, the FRANK callsign may be a reference to World War I Medal of Honor recipient First Lieutenant Frank Luke Jr., who is known as the “Arizona Balloon Buster” for shooting down 14 German balloons, as well as four planes.

Fact #5 : China Breaks International Law With Spy Balloon Overflights

It is ludicrous for anyone to claim that China can keep sending “cheap” spy balloons to trigger the Americans, as every country has “complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory” under international law.

Such acts are therefore violations of international law, and infringements of the sovereignty of the countries that these spy balloons overfly.

That’s why Chinese government keeps claiming that these spy balloons are civilian craft. That is also why the US government has the right to shoot down the spy balloon without asking China for permission.

Fact #6 : Every Fallen Balloon Is An Intelligence Bonanza

In the United States, Republicans are complaining that President Joe Biden was weak in allowing the Chinese spy balloon to fly off the coast of South Carolina before shooting it down on Saturday afternoon, February 4, 2023.

What they don’t tell the people is that President Joe Biden asked the US Air Force to shoot down the spy balloon as soon as it was safe to do so.

On top of that, the US military wanted to retrieve the spy balloon to examine its payload, and the best way to keep the payload intact would be to bring down the balloon over shallow water, instead of land.

In accordance with the President’s direction, the military brought down the balloon within sovereign U.S. airspace and over U.S. territorial waters to protect civilians while maximizing our ability to recover the payload.

On Monday, February 6, 2023, the first parts of the Chinese spy balloon arrived at the FBI headquarters in Quantico, Virginia, for further analysis.

Depending on what they recover, it may be possible to determine what these spy balloons are capable of, what it recorded, and who manufactured its components. The Americans may possibly gain insights into hitherto unknown Chinese technologies.

Instead of mocking the Americans for shooting down a “cheap” spy balloon, perhaps the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens should worry about what the Americans might find….

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

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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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Hunter Brown : Cause Of Death Not Vaccine SADS!

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Did US Air Force Academy cadet Hunter Brown collapse and die suddenly from vaccine SADS, on the way to class?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what Hunter Brown died from, and why it was not vaccine SADS!

Claim : Cadet Hunter Brown Collapsed From Vaccine SADS!

When news broke that US Air Force Academy cadet Hunter Brown suddenly collapsed and died on the way to class, anti-vaccination activists immediately claimed that he died from the COVID-19 vaccine!

We know he had the jab because he had to stay to in the Air Force. This is really getting out of hand…how many more people have to die before these woke pricks shut down this massive deadly vaccine scam?
Air Force football player Hunter Brown dead at 21

Air Force football player Hunter Brown dead at 21
Another healthy young person dies for no reason. Thousands have died this way. I have no proof, but and many, many scientists and doctors think it’s the vaccine.

BREAKING REPORT: Offensive Lineman From Air Force Academy Hunter Brown DIES SUDDENLY While Walking to Class…

When is it ok to ask questions about the vaccine?

Truth : Hunter Brown Did Not Die Suddenly From Vaccine SADS!

It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all athlete deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Cadet Hunter Brown Suffered A Medical Emergency

On Sunday, January 8, 2023, Candyce and Dustin Brown spoke on the phone with their son, cadet Hunter Brown, who was at his dorm, discussing his class schedule for his sophomore year at the the US Air Force Academy.

Hunter was recovering from a foot surgery he underwent two months earlier, to treat a torn ligament he suffered during football practice.

The next day, Hunter Brown experienced a “medical emergency” while leaving his dormitory for class that Monday morning. It was the USAFA cadets’ first day back from their winter break.

A 21 year-old sophomore (second year student) from Lake Charles, Louisiana, Hunter was also an offensive lineman on the US Air Force’s Falcon football team.

First responders attempted live saving measures, but were ultimately unsuccessful. The US Air Force Academy announced his death on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

With heavy hearts we share the loss of a cadet.

C3C [Cadet Third Class] Hunter Brown died Monday after suffering a medical emergency while on his way to class.

Our thoughts are with his family, friends, teammates and fellow cadets. #NeverForgotten

Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark, U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent also issued a statement on Hunter Brown’s death:

Hunter was a standout offensive lineman on the Falcon football team and was well-respected in his squadron.

The entire U.S. Air Force Academy mourns his loss, and our hearts and condolences are with his family, his squadron, and all who were touched by this incredible young man.

Fact #2 : Hunter Brown’s Cause Of Death Was Pulmonary Embolism

Agents of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office secured the area where Hunter Brown collapsed and eventually died. They then conducted an investigation into his death – a standard protocol for any military member who dies on-base.

The El Paso County Coroner’s Office said that Hunter Brown’s autopsy was expected to take several weeks. At the end of January 2023, they told his parents of their preliminary results.

According to the preliminary report, the cause of death for Hunter Brown was pulmonary embolism – blood clots in his lungs. Officials said they found a blood clot in his uninjured leg that was likely to blame for his pulmonary embolism.

The final autopsy result for Hunter Brown has not been released, pending toxicology reports.

Fact #3 : Hunter Brown’s Parents Spoke Out Against Conspiracy Theories

Hunter Brown’s parents spoke up against the conspiracy theories about his death. His mother, Candyce said:

He had a surgery two months before, but we don’t want to feed into any conspiracies. We also still have our personal questions about why, but it wasn’t put out there that he had surgery. No one knew that.

They told Military.com that they didn’t appreciate members of the public speculating about the cause of his sudden death, when they did not know the official cause, and didn’t have the recent context of his recent foot surgery.

Fact #4 : Hunter Brown’s Sister Said He Didn’t Die From Vaccine

Hunter Brown’s sister, Hannah, recently said publicly that her brother’s death was not due to a “jab”, in response to yet another callous post about his death.

Please take this down now. It wasn’t due to a “jab”. This isn’t political and we are hurting.

Fact #5 : Hunter Brown Was Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Despite claims that he was “forced” to get vaccinated, it was initially unknown if Hunter Brown was ever vaccinated against COVID-19.

Hunter Brown was a sophomore (second year) student at the United States Air Force Academy, which does not have a vaccine mandate for students. The Department of Defense only had a vaccine mandate for service members, not cadets.

On August 30, 2021, the United States Air Force Academy held a vaccination point of distribution for cadets to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in line with the guidance from the Secretary of Defense. Department of Defense guidance is that only vaccines fully licensed by the FDA are mandated for service members.

Currently, no administrative or disciplinary actions will be taken against cadets who do not receive the vaccine. Service-level policies, when released, determine what, if any, actions will be taken.

It was only on January 27, 2023, that his family confirmed to Military.com that he was vaccinated against COVID-19.

Fact #6 : Claims Of Athletes Injured By COVID-19 Vaccine Proven False

This is yet another example of anti-vaccination activists abusing athlete deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

So far, claims of athlete deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false at every instance. Here is the latest dozen cases I fact checked:

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next athlete tragedy…

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

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

Please Support My Work!

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

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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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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Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!