CGI WW2 video being used as Ukraine footage

A video of what looks like an air raid is being shared on Facebook with the caption “It’s happening. #Russia #Ukraine #WorldWar3”.

The video, which has had more than 10,000 views, doesn’t show Russia invading Ukraine. We found a version of the same video on TikTok published on 2 October 2021, with a caption in Spanish but translated via Google, saying “POV: you are going to die” with the hashtags #ww2 #war #cgi #1940s. 

This TikTok user’s bio says, in Spanish, “I create 3D ANIMATIONS”. His page features plenty of other CGI clips he’s made, including other clips of war scenes.

The video also appears on what looks to be the same user’s Youtube channel as part of a medley of videos with the title: “Do you want to know how it felt to be in the SECOND WORLD WAR? This is for you…”

The big giveaway that this video wasn’t taken recently are the planes, which do not look modern. 

Another small clue, that may help you fact check other videos, is that the footage has a constant lighter patch towards the bottom right hand corner, which is where someone has blurred the watermark. If you look at the original video on TikTok, you can see that is where the creator put his name.

The fact that the video had a watermark which was removed doesn’t prove that a video isn’t real or genuine. But if someone took the time to remove a watermark, it could be a clue that the video isn’t what it says it is, as someone has tried to remove a way of sourcing it back to its owner. 

We’re seeing lots of videos and images circulating on social media which claim to show Russia attacking Ukraine, but aren’t genuine. For general help on what to look out for if you see footage shared, see our 2018 guide on how to spot misleading videos online.