Visuals from video game Arma 3 falsely shared as clashes between the U.S. and Russia

The context

In May, videos supposedly showing clashes between the U.S. and Russia circulated on TikTok. Without disclosing the location, users shared the alleged footage with captions like, "American soldiers are ambushed by Russian aircraft" and footage depicting a large fire and explosions as "huge American losses."

However, Logically Facts found the footage was taken from the Arma 3 military simulator video game and does not show authentic clashes between U.S. and Russian forces. 

In fact

Multiple indicators reveal that the videos do not depict an authentic scene. The high video quality, detailed graphics, and textures in the TikTok videos signal that the footage is from a video game instead of a real battlefield. Also, the sound effects appear louder and exaggerated compared to real-world footage. Other clues include carelessness in the video clips, including posting the flag of the Netherlands while supposedly showing clashes between the U.S. and Russia.

A reverse image search of some of the videos' key frames led us to similar footage on YouTube, though not identical. These similar videos clearly state in their captions that the footage is from the Arma 3 video game and does not depict real-world events. 

Video one 

The first TikTok video, purportedly displaying American soldiers ambushed by a Russian aircraft, shows a queue of army vehicles driving past industrial sites, as well as bombings and large fires in a rural location.

Through a reverse image search, we discovered a YouTube video headlined "140 US cargo trucks containing ammunition were ambushed by Russian KA-52s on their way to Ukraine." Although the footage is mirrored and displays darker lighting, the footage contains visuals similar to those in the TikTok clip.

This YouTube video description reads, "This video is a virtual game simulation. Combat simulations may differ from actual ones. We simulate articles that appear in the news. ARMA 3 Game Play Video."

We also noticed similarities in the skyline, cloud formation, and road depiction between the two videos.

The comparison also revealed similarities in patterns of fire and smoke clouds, buildings, and environmental likenesses.

Video two

We found multiple videos with similar visuals of fire and smoke cloud formation posted by the YouTube account that shared the previous video. This YouTube account's description states, "All videos on this channel are simulations of the Arma 3 game! They do not reflect reality and are a product of the author's imagination!"

Similar, but not identical, smoke clouds are visible in the TikTok video, which supposedly shows "huge American losses" amid clashes with Russia. The clip displays multiple fires with black smoke in a rural environment. Similar visuals are depicted, for instance, in the Arma 3 video headlined, "A convoy of 100 US buses with 4,000 British troops was ambushed by Russian T-90 tanks near Kharkiv."

Similarly, the video titled "Russian T-90 tank crew destroys 200 of Germany's most famous Leropard 2A4 tanks in Donbass" shows similar footage. Both video descriptions include the same disclaimer as the previous one: the video is an Arma 3 virtual game simulation.

Logically Facts contacted the makers of Arma 3, Bohemia Interactive, to confirm that the footage is indeed from the video game. We did not receive a response, but in October 2023, the game makers issued a public statement on the misattribution of Arma 3 footage and shared tips on distinguishing content from video games and real-life footage.

Video game footage claiming to show authentic events has widely circulated online amid recent conflicts. Logically Facts has covered and refuted multiple such claims related to the Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The verdict

The videos do not show authentic clashes between the U.S. and Russia. The footage was captured from the Arma 3 military simulator video game. Therefore, we marked the claim as false.