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| - FACT CHECK: No, A Russian Strike Did Not Kill Over 200 NATO Generals And American Officers In Ukraine
A video shared on Facebook claims Russia killed over 200 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) generals and between 20-30 American officers in Ukraine.
Verdict: False
There is no evidence for this claim.
Fact Check:
The Facebook video shows a Press TV interview with Gilbert Doctorow. In the video, he claims the Russians hit a NATO bunker with 200 NATO generals and high-ranking officers.
“THE RUSSIANS,WITH A KIZHOU MISSILE HYPERSONIC ,KILLED 200 NATO GENERALS ,INCLUDING AT LEAST 20 OR 30 HIGH-RANKING AMERICAN OFFICERS,” reads part of the Facebook post.
There is no evidence for this claim. If a Russian missile had destroyed a NATO headquarters and killed hundreds of NATO personnel, media outlets would have covered it, yet none have. Check Your Fact previously debunked an image claiming to show a Russian missile strike on a NATO command center.
A Pentagon spokesperson told Lead Stories that all “these statements are false. Russia enjoys creating disinformation.” Russia targeted Ukrainian facilities in a mass missile strike Mar. 9, but the Russian Defense Ministry did not claim to strike a NATO headquarters, according to Newsweek. Gwara Media reported that the claim was spread by pro-Russian sources and spread on social media.
One of the leaked Pentagon documents, obtained by Check Your Fact, states that there are 97 NATO special forces personnel in Ukraine, including 14 U.S. personnel. There are also around 100 U.S. personnel in Ukraine, including 71 members of the State Department and 21 members of the Department of Defense. (RELATED: Did Estonia Donate Strelas To Ukraine And Purchase Stingers?)
Number Of NATO Special Forces In Ukraine by Elias Atienza on Scribd
None of the documents show that Americans were killed in Ukraine, whether it is by Russian forces or other means. For example, a review of the Washington Post’s reporting on “Discord Leaks” does not show any Russian strikes on any “NATO headquarters” or the deaths of American officers.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told Fox News that U.S. military personnel in Ukraine were conducting weapons inspections and providing security services for the U.S. embassy in Kyiv.
A Pentagon spokesperson told Check Your Fact that “we do not have anything for you on this.” Check Your Fact reached out to NATO and will update this article if a response is provided.
Update (5/2/2023): This article has been updated to note the Pentagon’s response to Check Your Fact’s request for comment.
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