Fact check: No, Russia didn't bomb a 'pedo enclave' in Ukraine
A false news report has gained traction online and fuelled conspiracy theories that recent Russian airstrikes in Ukraine were targeting a European paedophile ring.
The fake report, published by a website called Real Raw News, claims that President Vladimir Putin ordered the assault on a child-trafficking cartel formed of Ukrainian, Albanian, French and German paedophiles, prompting anger among Western governments.
The strikes were supposedly what prompted US President Donald Trump to take to his Truth Social platform to blast Putin as "crazy" for intensifying attacks on Ukraine.
The article says that the intel about the paedophile ring came from a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agent called Andrei Zakharov.
He allegedly said that Russian aircraft flew over the region, dropping leaflets warning civilians to evacuate to ensure that no children were in the area when the assault began.
However, the contents of the report are completely fabricated, not least because it comes from a known fake news website.
Real Raw News was created in April 2020 and is known for publishing misleading articles about the COVID-19 pandemic and the deaths of public figures.
Euronews has previously reported on fake news coming from the site, and its own About Us page says that it contains "humour, parody and satire."
All reputable reporting on the Russian airstrikes that took place between 24 and 25 May said that Moscow had killed at least 13 people and injured dozens, including children.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 367 drones and missiles at the country overnight, making it the largest single aerial attack since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the time of the assault.
There's no mention in any reliable reporting of a paedophile enclave and officials said that military, residential and industrial buildings had sustained damage. There's also no credible evidence that an FSB agent called Andrei Zakharov exists.
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Following the airstrikes, Trump did post on Truth Social that Putin had "gone absolutely crazy" and was needlessly killing civilians and later hinted at more potential sanctions on Russia.
"Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever," Trump said on Truth Social. "I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!"
When asked by a reporter if he would potentially impose additional sanctions on Russia, Trump said he would "absolutely" consider doing so.
The Kremlin responded to Trump's accusations by suggesting that the US president was showing signs of "emotional overload" after attempting to launch peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
The US Senate is expected to work on a Russian sanctions bill in the coming days, according to Senator Lindsey Graham, following talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 30 May.
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