Collection
Did Putin Issue an Arrest Warrant for George Soros?
Yes, Putin once took a dog to meet Angela Merkel, who is famously afraid of dogs. No, he did not ride a rollercoaster with Kim Jong Un.
by Rae Deng , Nov. 15, 2016
Image courtesy of Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a mainstay in the authoritarian country's political landscape for decades — giving the internet plenty of time to spread rumors about the former KGB agent .
Claims often circulate about Putin's relationships with other politicians, such as U.S. President Donald Trump or North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un . Many of Putin's actions on the world stage also lead to rumors: In 2022 , he launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine, leading to various fact- including whether he threatened nuclear consequences for retaliating against his war.
Here are 20 claims we've looked into about Putin.
By Rae Deng
Rae Deng specializes in government/politics and is based in Tacoma, Wash.
Unpacking rumor Trump plans to offer Alaska's natural resources to Putin
Aug. 15, 2025
According to UK newspaper The Telegraph, offering Alaskan natural resources to Russia could be p ...
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Could Trump arrest Putin at Alaska summit on Ukraine war? Here are the facts
Aug. 12, 2025
The U.S. withdrew support for the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court ...
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Trump deleted, then reposted Truth Social post about phone call with Putin
June 6, 2025
According to Trump, Putin said he would "respond" to Ukraine's attack on Russian airplanes.
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Putin Endorsed Harris for US President. But There's More to It
Sept. 12, 2024
The Russian leader discussed the 2024 U.S. presidential candidates at an economic forum in the f ...
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Putin Once Took Dog to Meeting with Angela Merkel?
Aug. 23, 2024
Merkel, then the German chancellor, was reportedly afraid of dogs.
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Picture Shows Putin and Kim Jong Un Riding Roller Coaster?
July 2, 2024
The photo went viral following a June 2024 meeting in North Korea between the two leaders.
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No Evidence Vladimir Putin Wants Fauci Extradited To Russia
Jan. 23, 2025
Posts on X alleged that Putin wanted the extradition in exchange for ending the war in Ukraine.
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Putin Said of LGBTQ+ Rights, 'We Will Not Have Parent 1 and Parent 2, We Will Have Mom and Dad'?
April 2, 2024
"Putin on Easter: Russia will leave political correctness to the U.S.," X user Mario Nawfal post ...
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Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Towers Over Putin?
April 2, 2024
At 5-feet-7, Putin is demonstrably shorter than the Netherlands' leader.
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Putin Said Russia Has the Largest Economy in Europe?
Feb. 25, 2024
The Russian president's January 2024 claim was based on a specific measurement.
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Did Putin Threaten War with the US in Tucker Carlson Interview?
Feb. 9, 2024
The interview was the first time Putin spoke to a Western journalist since the invasion of Ukrai ...
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Did Putin Declare the 1867 Sale of Alaska to the US 'Illegal' in January 2024?
Jan. 22, 2024
"Well, the Russian pacific fleet didn’t get the invite to Ukraine and they’re getting pretty bor ...
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Did Putin Threaten Nuclear Retaliation Against Anyone Who Gets in His Way?
Feb. 24, 2022
During a Kremlin speech, the Russian president said there would be "consequences" like "never se ...
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Yes, Trump Called Putin's Ukraine Strategy 'Savvy' and 'Genius'
Feb. 24, 2022
However, the former U.S. president did not publicly condone the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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This Is a Real Photo Of Putin Speaking with Other Leaders at an Enormous Table
Jan. 9, 2024
This was not the first time a large table associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin has g ...
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Did Putin Ban 5G in Russia Due to Health Concerns?
Aug. 7, 2023
"What has Russia uncovered that would make them take such drastic action?" a prominent British c ...
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Does This Video Show a Pigeon Saluting Vladimir Putin?
June 1, 2017
A video of a pigeon that appeared to salute Russian president Vladimir Putin was merely a sly joke.
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Bounty on Putin? Russian Businessman Puts Up $1M for Putin's Arrest
March 3, 2022
While the initial posting of this bounty featured a "Dead or Alive" poster, it has since been re ...
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Did White House Staff Disable Recording of a Call Between Presidents Trump and Putin?
Feb. 3, 2017
The source for claims that the White House disabled recording of a phone call between Presidents ...
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Did Putin Issue an Arrest Warrant for George Soros?
Nov. 15, 2016
Articles reporting that the Russian president issued an international arrest order for the billi ...
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