Facebook posts
Facebook posts
stated on May 18, 2022 in a Facebook post:

Video shows helicopters in Ukraine “being picked off in ambush - Short range air-to-air missile”

Facebook Fact-checks Russia Ukraine
False
Destruction in Mariupol
Damaged and burned vehicles at a destroyed metallurgical plant in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 18, 2022. (AP)

No, this isn’t real footage of downed helicopters during an ambush

If your time is short

  • This is a clip from the Arma 3 video game. 
 
See the sources for this fact-check

Amid the war in Ukraine, video game footage is being confused for actual combat. We’ve already debunked several claims that simulations from the game Arma 3 show fighting in Ukraine, where soldiers and civilians are defending against a Russian invasion. 

A recent video shared on Facebook that’s described as showing “helicopters being picked off in ambush — short range air-to-air missile” is also from the game. 

This 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.)

RELATED VIDEO
 

We found the footage on YouTube searching for the Facebook post description and “Arma 3.” 

But the YouTube video makes it clear that this is a video game. 

We rate claims that it’s real footage of combat False. 

Our Sources

Facebook post, May 18, 2022

YouTube, Helicopters being picked off in ambush | Short range air-to-air missile in action | ARMA 3: Milsim, visited May 20, 2022