Fact Check: Old video from Rome falsely linked to Russia-Ukraine conflict

Hyderabad: A video of people running down an escalator is viral on social media.

Users claim that these people are trying to take shelter after Russia attacked Ukraine.

"This isn't people fleeing from Afghanistan or Syria. This stampede is to duck under a bunker to survive a possible missile or nuclear attack by Russia on Ukraine," reads the description of the video.

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Fact Check

The claim is False.

NewsMeter began its investigation by performing a Google Reverse Image Search. The search led us to a video uploaded on the YouTube channel of CBC News on October 24, 2018.

The video had visuals similar to the viral video, which can be seen from 0:01 seconds itself.

According to the description, the video is of an incident in Rome where an escalator collapsed in a subway station. The incident led to injuring around 20 people. Out of all the injured people, most of them were Russians in town for a Champion's league soccer game.

Many other mainstream media organizations including Global News, Guardian News, and WION had also published video news reports on the incident.

We also found a news report on the incident published on the website 'Independent' on October 23, 2018.

"Footage captured by a witness showed passengers, including Russians heading to a Champions League match between Roma and CSKA Moscow, being crushed at the bottom of the moving staircase. Repubblica station, in the heart of the Italian capital, was closed and four ambulances were parked at one of the entrances, a witness said. Local media reported many were injured in the stampede that ensued, as people running upstairs in a panic rushed into those descending into the metro station," read the report.

Hence, it is evident that the claim is False. The viral video has no relation to the ongoing Ukraine crisis. The video dates back to 2018.