Fact check: Ukrainian plane has not been hijacked, viral reports are false

Social media users claimed that a Ukrainian rescue airplane has been hijacked in Kabul.

By Nivruthi Pasupunuri  Published on  25 Aug 2021 7:30 PM IST
Fact check: Ukrainian plane has not been hijacked, viral reports are false

Hyderabad: Social media users claimed that a Ukrainian rescue airplane has been hijacked in Kabul.

Several posts on Instagram and by news agencies have gone viral.



Please click the link below to find the Economic Times' article about the same.

A similar article claimed that a flight from Ukraine which arrived in Kabul to evacuate the people in Afghanistan was hijacked and diverted to Iran.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ukrainian-evacuation-plane-hijacked-in-kabul-diverted-to-iran-reports-2517387

Fact check:

The news story is false.

Ukrainian foreign ministry denied any such event taking place. He said that although the plane was indeed taken to Mashhad, it was for refueling. He further said that Ukraine evacuated 256 people from Afghanistan in 3 planes. All 3 aircraft are in Ukraine.

Please click the link below to find The Guardian's report on the same.

Similar information was provided in a video by Republic World on YouTube. It said Iran has denied the reports of a hijack and reiterated that the plane had come to the Mashhad in the North-Eastern province of Iran for refueling. It had promptly left for Ukraine.

Please click the link below to access the video.


Multiple news sources have clarified that there has been any hijack.

One such report is by the Times of Israel. Please click this link to find the article

Another report on the same topic is by Outlook India.

From the information, a clear conclusion can be drawn that these reports are not true. Hence, this claim is FALSE.

Claim Review:Ukrainian rescue plane hijacked in Kabul, Afghanistan and taken to Iran
Claimed By:Social Media Users
Claim Reviewed By:Newsmeter
Claim Source:Social Media
Claim Fact Check:False
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