It’s like something out of an action movie.
This video aims to show how a column of Russian tanks is destroyed within seconds by an armed Ukrainian pick-up truck.
Numerous users share the video. The clip was viewed more than 600,000 times within a very short time.
Many users ask in the comments whether the video is authentic images of the war.
And rightly so: because the incredible recordings are fake.
What’s behind the video? How did the spectacular clip come about?
The video is the work of CGI artist Pavel Osadchiy.
According to the special effects freelancer from Kyiv, the clip is an unfinished computer animation that was published too early.
He actually wanted to collect money for the Ukrainian armed forces with the finished video.
In addition to a statement, he posted a picture of the armed pick-up, which makes it easier to see that the vehicle is a digital creation and not a real weapon of war.
The case makes it clear how easily videos created on the computer can be confused with reality.
Without the appropriate context, a spectacular computer animation becomes a supposedly authentic war video.
How do we check videos for manipulation in the editorial office? It is important to look at the details. The individual frames of a video often reveal whether a video has been edited. We take a close look at each image and enlarge individual sections. Indications of a fake are, for example: lack of motion blur, unnatural shadows or editing errors. The general rule at stern is: Seriousness before speed. We always double-check facts and material thoroughly before publishing them. For this we work with the cross-editorial “Team Verification” together with RTL, NTV, RTL2, Radio NRW.