Video of malfunctioning Russian missile falsely linked to Iran-Israel war

What is the claim?

A video circulating on social media claims to show an Iranian missile launched toward Israel which malfunctioned and hit its own launcher. The clip shows a missile making a U-turn after launch and hitting the ground near its own launcher. Several users shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), with one writing, "An Iranian missile launched towards Israel makes a U-turn and destroys the launcher." Archived versions of such posts can be accessed here, here and here.

Screenshots of social media posts. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the claim is false. The viral clip is from 2022 and shows a Russian missile malfunctioning. The surface-to-air missile falls back to the ground, causing an explosion.

How did we find the truth?

A reverse image search of the keyframes from the viral clip revealed that the video dates back to 2022. Australian media outlet News.com.au published the video on its YouTube channel (archived here) on June 24, 2022, with the title “Dramatic moment Russian missile fails during launch.” The description states that the video shows a Russian air-to-surface missile malfunctioning and falling back to the ground.

 

According to a report by Newsweek dated June 24, 2022, the video reportedly shows a Russian air defense missile malfunctioning and turning back toward its launch point in Alchevsk, Luhansk, which is occupied by pro-Russian separatist forces. The report also quoted local media outlet 24TV saying that the missile struck Alchevsk's Sarmatskaya Street, with the resulting explosion causing a fire.

The report also carried a video of the incident posted by an X account (archived here) that claims to focus on Ukrainian military units, equipment, and volunteer units, which said that the missile malfunction occurred in Alchevsk.

Other social media users with expertise in OSINT, Russian defense policy, and satellite imagery also shared the video in June 2022 on X (archived here, here, and here), saying that it showed an incident where a Russian missile failed during launch in Alchevsk, Luhansk Oblast.

Social media posts suggest that the video was captured in Ukraine. (Source: X/Screenshot)

Ukrainian media outlet Kyiv24 also uploaded the same video on YouTube (archived here) on June 24, 2022, and said it showed a Russian missile malfunctioning in Alchevsk.

The verdict

The viral clip is from occupied Ukraine and was captured in 2022. It reportedly shows a Russian missile malfunctioning and falling back to the ground. The clip is unrelated to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.