On. Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine. Five days into the invasion, the Associated Press reported Russian forces continue to close in on Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, and according to the United Nations human rights office, 102 Ukrainian civilians, including seven children, have been killed in the Russian invasion and 304 others wounded.
Following the invasion, several images and videos of large protests went viral across social media, including protests in Putin’s birthplace of St. Petersburg. A VERIFY viewer tagged us on Instagram, to find out if this video of an anti-war protest in St. Petersburg is real.
THE QUESTION
Is this video of a large anti-war protest in St. Petersburg, Russia real?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, this video of an anti-war protest in St. Petersburg, Russia is real.
WHAT WE FOUND
According to the Associated Press, thousands of protesters took to the streets across Russia to protest Russia’s attack on Ukraine. This specific video was taken overlooking Nevsky Avenue in St. Petersburg’s city center. VERIFY confirmed the location using Google Maps.
The video was also shared via Fontanka News, a St. Petersburg-based news outlet. Fontanka News shares content through their Telegram channel. Telegram is an encrypted messaging app that is used by media outlets and government officials across the region.
Getty Images photos from the Feb. 24 protest in St. Petersburg show the same buses sitting on the road that can be seen in the video.
This Associated Press photo, also from Feb. 24, show the same string of vehicles – the white news van with the satellite dish on top and the buses along the street – that can be seen in the video.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a developing story. VERIFY will continue to monitor for claims around Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Want something verified? Email your questions about the invasion to questions@verifythis.com.
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