Footage of soldiers firing shots into the air as hundreds of unarmed people march toward an airbase in Belbek, Crimea, is being shared on TikTok as Russia invades Ukraine.
“Ukrainian and Russian soldiers face off in big battle border,” one post sharing the footage wrote.
“#Ukrainian and #Ryssland Soldiers face to face,” another post said.
This footage was posted over 12 times on TikTok and viewed on the platform more than 20 million times as of Feb. 25. But it does not show a scene from the Russian invasion. It is seven years old. BBC News Turkey shared the footage on Youtube on March 4, 2014.
According to the BBC article, the video depicts pro-Russian troops who seized an airbase firing “warning shots” to prevent some 300 unarmed Ukrainian soldiers from approaching.
The tense standoff occurred as Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
We rate claims that the footage depicts the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine False.
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TikTok post, accessed Feb. 25, 2022
TikTok post, accessed Feb. 25, 2022
TikTok post, accessed Feb. 25, 2022
Youtube, Kırım'da gergin anlar, March 4, 2014
Time Magazine, Russian and Ukrainian Troops in Tense Crimea Standoff, March 4, 2014
BBC, Russia keeps pressure on Ukraine with Crimea stand-off, March 4, 2014
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