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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on February 26, 2022 in a Facebook post: Photos show Ukrainian citizens destroying two Russian tanks with Molotov cocktails in Kyiv. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") * Facebook Fact-checks * Ukraine * Russia * Facebook posts ![\\"A](\\" A protester throws a Molotov cocktail during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 22, 2014. (AP) ![\\"Madison](\\" By Madison Czopek March 2, 2022 # These photos of Molotov cocktails are from 2014 protests in Kyiv, not 2022 #### If Your Time is short * Four photos showing scenes of fire, billowing smoke and people engaged in a fight date back to 2014 anti-government protests in Ukraine. See the sources for this fact-check Social media users continue to share videos and images of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine for audiences around the world. But not all of the photos show the current invasion. \"Ukrainian citizens d€str0y 2 Russian tanks with molotov cocktails (Petrol, Gasoline) in Kiev,\" read one Feb. 26 Facebook post that included four flame- filled photos. \"They are using the guerrilla war tactics to counter Russian army in their capital.\" The Facebook user also shared the hashtag \"#RussiaUkraineWar,\" again claiming that the photos depicted the ongoing Russian invasion. The photos feature visually dramatic scenes filled with fire, billowing smoke and silhouettes of people engaged in a fight. The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) Reports show that some Ukrainians have been making Molotov cocktails to use against the Russian forces threatening major cities. On Feb. 25, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry instructed residents in Kyiv to make Molotov cocktails, which are improvised incendiary devices often made with glass bottles, flammable liquid and some type of cloth fuse that can be set on fire. Using reverse image searches on Google, Bing and Yandex, PolitiFact found that each of the Facebook photos were taken during protests in Kyiv in January 2014. ![](\\" At the time, there were mass protests in Ukraine, fueled by opposition to then-President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to turn away from a free trade agreement with Europe and instead pursue closer cooperation with Russia. In late January 2014, the once-peaceful protests against Yanukovych’s government erupted into fiery battles in the streets, as \"thousands of demonstrators hurled rocks and firebombs to set police vehicles ablaze,\" according to the Associated Press. The photos shared in the Facebook post were taken during those battles with police. The photo of a man pointing at the sky against a backdrop of flames and smoke was taken on Jan. 22, 2014, according to the European Pressphoto Agency. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Jeffrey Barke stated on August 23, 2024 in an Instagram post Food and Drug Administration approval for updated COVID-19 vaccines requires a public health emergency declaration. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Jeff Cercone • August 27, 2024 \"A protester gesticulates during clashes with riot police at an anti- government protest in downtown Kiev, Ukraine,\" the caption said. A reverse image search for two people who appeared to be throwing something into the flames traced the photo back to an Irish Times article from 2014. From there, we found the original photo on Getty Images. \"Ukrainian anti-government protesters throw Molotov cocktails during clashes with riot police in central Kiev early on Jan. 25, 2014,\" said the corresponding caption. \"Protesters and Ukrainian police were locked in a tense standoff in Kiev after a night of sporadic clashes that erupted despite a truce and offer of concessions by President Viktor Yanukovych.\" The third photo featured in the post, which features a person throwing something in the direction of burning tires, also traced back to Getty Images. \"An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail during clashes with police on Hrushevskoho Street near Dynamo stadium on Jan. 25, 2014 in Kiev, Ukraine,\" read the caption. \"After two months of primarily peaceful anti- government protests in the city center, new laws meant to end the protest movement have sparked violent clashes in recent days.\" The final photo of a person preparing to fire a slingshot first appeared in Russian journalist Ilya Varlamov’s LiveJournal blog post, in which he wrote about his experience during the 2014 protests. Varlamov did not share specific details about the photo, but he noted that the photos shared were all taken in Kyiv on Jan. 22 or 23, 2014. Facebook users have also shared videos of the 2014 unrest and falsely claimed they show Ukrainians destroying a Russian tank during the current conflict. Our ruling A Facebook post claimed four fiery photos showed Ukrainian citizens destroying two Russian tanks with Molotov cocktails in Kyiv. The photos actually date back to 2014 anti-government protests in Ukraine. Claims that the photos depict the current fighting are False. **RELATED:** Photo of children sending off Ukrainian troops is from 2016, not 2022 **RELATED:** Photos of Ukrainians praying \"in this phase of war danger\" are actually from years ago #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Facebook post, Feb. 26, 2022 Reuters, \"Fact Check-Maidan protest imagery from 2014 miscaptioned on social media,\" Feb. 26, 2022 The Irish Times, \"A year in Ukraine,\" Nov. 22, 2014 European Pressphoto Agency, \"Anti-government protests in Ukraine,\" Jan. 22, 2014 Getty Images, \"Ukraine-unrest-EU-Russia-politics,\" Jan. 25, 2014 Getty Images, \"Protests Continue In Kiev As The Opposition Calls For A Snap Election,\" Jan. 25, 2014 Varlamovru.livejournal.com, \"Revolution in Kiev, Ukraine,\" Jan. 26, 2014 Vox, \"Everything you need to know about the 2014 Ukraine crisis,\" Sept. 3, 2014 CBS News, \"Huge Russian convoy nears Ukraine\'s capital as invasion enters sixth day,\" March 1, 2022 Reuters, \"Ukraine\'s anti-government protesters stage first mass rally of 2014,\" Jan. 12, 2014 Associated Press, \"Old video shows Ukrainian revolution, not Russian invasion,\" March 1, 2022 CBS News, \"Ukraine tells residents to make Molotov cocktails,\" Feb. 25, 2022 WFLA, \"Ukrainian brewery joins war effort, switches from beer to Molotov cocktails,\" Feb. 28, 2022 The Washington Post, \"Ukrainians Google ‘how to make a molotov cocktail’ after defense minister’s call to arms,\" Feb. 25, 2022 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Madison Czopek ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on September 13, 2024 in a post on Threads: “ABC lost $27M in ad revenue after advertisers pulled ads from the network after the way they hosted the debate\" on Sept. 10. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • September 15, 2024 ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on September 12, 2024 in a post on Threads: An image shows Travis Kelce responding to Elon Musk X post that followed Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • September 13, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 3, 2024 in a video posted on X: On June 7, 2011, Kamala Harris was involved in a San Francisco hit-and-run crash that injured a woman named Alicia Brown. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • September 5, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on August 29, 2024 in a post on Instagram: “BREAKING: Illegal Aliens in San Diego, California, tried to hijack 2 school buses filled with children.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • September 4, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2024 in a Facebook post: “There’s no such thing as menopause.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • August 30, 2024 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 24, 2024 in an Instagram post: World Economic Forum “document confirms 6 billion humans will die in 2025.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • August 29, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bob Casey stated on August 22, 2024 in a speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention: “Prices are up because these corporations are scheming to drive them up.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • August 28, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" JD Vance stated on August 16, 2024 in a post on X: “Kamala Harris wants to give $25,000 to illegal aliens to buy American homes.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • August 22, 2024 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 4, 2024 in an Instagram post: “The NFL will now use facial recognition at every stadium to verify the identity of everyone at the game.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • August 16, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 12, 2024 in a post on Facebook: Dr. Leo Ferreira, a cancer researcher shown in a video clip, was on the plane that crashed in Brazil on Aug. 9. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • August 15, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Jesse Watters stated on August 6, 2024 in a segment on \"Jesse Watters Primetime\": Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz “forced schools to stock tampons in boys’ bathrooms.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • August 13, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 11, 2024 in a post on Truth Social: Photo of Kamala Harris’ Aug. 7 rally near Detroit was AI-generated and “there was nobody there.” Attendees pictured “didn’t exist.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • August 12, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kamala Harris stated on July 27, 2024 in a post on X: Video shows that “JD Vance endorses Project 2025.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • July 31, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on July 22, 2024 in a post on X: The death of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, six days after the Trump rally shooting was linked to her “oversight of the Secret Service.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • July 24, 2024 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 21, 2024 in a post on Instagram: “The state of Washington has already sent out their ballots” for the 2024 presidential election. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • July 23, 2024 ### These photos of Molotov cocktails are from 2014 protests in Kyiv, not 2022 * ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on September 19, 2024 in a video: Video claims to show Donald Trump in an interview with Diddy ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 18, 2024 in X posts: “iPhones exploding in Lebanon blowing up random people.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on September 18, 2024 in a TikTok video: “Attorney General Merrick Garland just vetoed charging Ryan Routh with attempted assassination” of Donald Trump. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 14, 2024 in a Facebook post: \"Taylor Swift unexpectedly lost a $125 million brand contract after a massive advertising campaign” endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 12, 2024 in una publicación en Facebook: “Portugal lanza monedas de 7 euros para honrar al legendario futbolista Cristiano Ronaldo”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Marta Campabadal Graus • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Kamala Harris stated on September 12, 2024 in a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina: Former President Donald Trump “started out with $400 million on a silver platter and then filed for bankruptcy six times.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Louis Jacobson • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 15, 2024 in posts: Ryan Routh\'s Instagram bio says he is a \"proud LGBTQ+ member\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 17, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Chiefs\' Coach Andy Reid criticizes Taylor Swift: ‘You’re not a good role model.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 17, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Kansas City Chiefs CEO bans Taylor Swift from attending games, calling her the team’s ‘biggest distraction.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" JD Vance stated on September 15, 2024 in a \"Meet the Press\" interview: Former President Donald Trump could have destroyed the Affordable Care Act, but “he chose to build upon (it).\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Julie Appleby • September 20, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. 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Photos show Ukrainian citizens destroying two Russian tanks with Molotov cocktails in Kyiv