The Claim:
On July 8, 2024, a children’s hospital in Kyiv was severely damaged by a Russian missile. A video posted to Twitter/X falsely identifies the missile as a US Patriot missile. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and state media platform RT are both advancing and amplifying this false narrative.
The Facts:
The video of a missile falling on Kyiv was posted by journalist Oliver Carroll at 7:51 a.m. The video was later re-posted by a Kremlin-aligned US far-right conspiracy activist at 8:48 a.m. The missile in both videos bears a striking resemblance to the Russian KH-101 missile, with its elongated shape and winglets, in contrast to the Patriot missile, which is short and has sharp rear fins. Geolocation analysis suggests the video was filmed approximately 200 meters southeast of the hospital.
Narrative Context:
Kremlin-aligned proxies and influencers quickly attempted to deflect blame for the July 8 Russian attack on Ukrainian civilian targets, including the Kyiv Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital. These denials are consistent with past Russian denials of atrocities and war crimes and the Kremlin’s efforts to justify them.
