A TikTok user published a gameplay recording of a video game and claimed it as a real incident in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. This is not true. The featured video is actually a simulated military warfare from a 2013 video game.
Published by paolotabz05 on Feb. 28, the video is superimposed with the phrase: “Ukraine Vs Russia” and bears the caption: “Ukraine vs Russia! Ukraine Defense Russia!! Please Stop the War!! Pray for Ukraine #russia #ukraine”
The short video showed a Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) weapon system successfully gunning down a maneuvering fighter jet. It emerged a few days after Russia invaded Ukraine.
VERA Files debunked a similar claim this week as the United Nations reported that one million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia began its offensive against its neighbor on Feb. 24.
The video features the fictional world of Arma 3, a 2013 video game that simulates military warfare developed by Bohemia Interactive.
The original video was uploaded by YouTube channel Saionji Rei in December 2020. The almost 2-minute in-game footage showed the C-RAM missile system successfully shooting down a Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jet. The YouTube channel mentioned the name of the game in the description.
Many netizens criticized the publisher of the video in the comments section for spreading disinformation and said that “war is not a joke.”
The video has been viewed more than 3.1 million times and has garnered more than 135,650 interactions.
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