Ukraine war: False claims spread about military movements in Poland and Finland
Online misinformation about the armies of Poland and Finland has circulated online amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Social media users have falsely suggested that both European Union member states are preparing to enter the war or engage in military conflict.
Investigations by Euronews and other independent fact-checkers have revealed that the claims are false and alleged video evidence has been taken out of context.
In times of conflict and crisis, when people are hungry for details about the war, misinformation can be equally as viral as verified facts.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have used social media to spread their propaganda, while pro-Kremlin users have also spread false claims.
A recent viral video has falsely claimed that Poland is preparing to send troops into Western Ukraine to confront Russia.
The footage -- which includes the logo and branding of BBC News -- alleges that Poland's military general Yaroslav Mika had signed an order to put army sections on “full alert”.
The video was shared online by users in a number of languages, including Czech, French, Italian, Polish, Russian, and Turkish.
But online searches show no record of the BBC ever producing a report on the story, and senior disinformation journalists at the company state that the video is "fake".
The branding of the BBC was also previously used to spread false claims about military strikes on a Kramamtorsk railway station that killed dozens of people.
Poland has led calls for the EU to toughen sanctions on Russia and for the NATO alliance to arm Ukraine during the war.
While Poland has provided its neighbour with military aid, it has not expressed any such plans to send troops into Ukrainian territory.
The General Command of the Polish Armed Forces dismissed the
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