WHAT WAS CLAIMED
A video shows mansions owned by Ukrainian generals that burned down in the California wildfires.
OUR VERDICT
False. The video shows the Ukrainian homes of prominent judges and prosecutors.
AAP FACTCHECK - A video circulating on social media does not show mansions belonging to Ukrainian generals that were destroyed in the Californian wildfires, despite claims being spread by pro-Kremlin accounts.
The video actually shows the houses of more than 40 Ukrainian government and legal officials, not military officers, which are located in Ukraine and unaffected by the fires in California.
A Facebook post features a link to an X video, which has the caption: "What is corruption?
"8 Ukrainian Generals had their multimillion dollar mansions burned up in the Los Angeles fires."
The Facebook user also commented: "Look what happens when we keep funding Ukraine constantly and not allowed to look at where the money is going just like impeaching Trump for just asking about it (sic)."
The X video, though, shows the names and houses of far more than eight Ukrainian officials, none of whom are military generals.
AAP FactCheck analysed images of several homes featured in the X video and found articles and documents stating they are located in Ukraine.
For example, Judge of the Kyiv Administrative Court of Appeal Yaroslav Mamchur's property is listed as being in the capital, while prosecutor Vasyl Smityukh's is in nearby Kozyn.
Judge Viktoria Dzharty's property is in the village of Romankyv, while the home of lawyer Andriy Ivanishchuk was reported to have been seized by a Russian officer in Kherson in 2022.
AAP FactCheck also used geolocation techniques, including reverse image search and analysing Automaidan footage, to find Yuriy Kryvobok's property in the village of Kozyn on the outskirts of Kyiv.
The video, with alternative captions, was originally published on Facebook in April 2021 by Ukrainian activist group Automaidan.
The group campaigns against corruption in the country's justice system by tracking the financial and property declarations of officials.
The translated caption on the original video reads: "Nazar Dorosh recently published the video 'What is Ukraine?' in which he showed the picturesque corners of our country from a bird's eye view and urged others to do the same.
"We also decided to participate in this flash mob, however, to change it somewhat and show 'What is corruption?' on the example of houses of judges, prosecutors and tax collectors. After all, unfortunately, corruption is still a big part of life in our country."
The group also posts blogs and videos relating to various properties owned by officials on its website and YouTube page.
The Facebook post's implication that officials have used US funds intended for the war effort against Russia to purchase the lavish houses is also untrue, as the original video was published before the outbreak of war in 2022.
Several pro-Kremlin accounts and media outlets have pushed the claim, including the Pravda Network and Moscow-based news site Eurasia Daily.
Social media analytics company Graphika also found that Russian state media outlet RT shared the claim along with several pro-Kremlin Telegram channels.
The claims have also been debunked by AFP Fact Check.
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
