This information was disseminated in pro-Kremlin media. Reports say that the Russians have already begun selling the first captured parts from destroyed equipment in Ukraine. But they explain that on the Russian classifieds website Avito one can supposedly purchase parts from the British Challenger 2 tank. A screenshot of the advertisement is added to the publication. However, this is fake.

The fact-checkers of VoxCheck project managed to refute the case, because they determined that there was no such announcement on the Russian website. Moreover, propagandists compiled a screenshot of the ad, posting a photo of the Challenger 2 tank, destroyed in 2003 during the Iraq War. Using a special tool - FotoForensics - analysts found that the fake screenshot showed signs of editing.

But it is impossible to say that the Russians did not destroy Ukrainian equipment on the battlefield, because this was more than possible during the war. Propagandists deliberately exaggerate the significance of “destroyed” equipment on the battlefield, hinting at the allegedly low combat capability of the Ukrainian army. And the fact that parts from the equipment are subsequently sold as trophies is how they mock Ukrainian fighters.

Moreover, in general, the information about the destruction of Challenger 2 in Ukraine is true. On September 5, 2023, on the social network X (formerly Twitter), OSINTtechnical specialists, who write about military analytics based on analysis of open sources, published a video of a downed Challenger 2. Subsequently, the British Minister of Defense also confirmed the destruction of the tank. The further fate of the technology is unknown.

That is, there are real cases of destruction of equipment and they cannot be denied. But propagandists are systematically trying to discredit the Ukrainian Defense Forces by creating fake news about the deployment or destruction of some equipment. Read our latest cases: for example, we documented a fake that Russia “destroyed” five Patriot launchers. Another fake was also spread where Moscow allegedly destroyed a Leopard tank with German troops in Ukraine.

And also, in our Newspeak section we described the Russian phenomenon of “irresistible technology”. In short, this is how the Russians try to convince the domestic audience of constant victories.