Fact Check: Military installation in Jalandhar’s Adampur attacked by Pakistan? No, image shows destroyed Russian airfield
An old image of a destroyed Russian launcher has been circulating online, falsely claiming that a key military installation in Adampur, Jalandhar, was hit by Pakistan.
By Md Mahfooz Alam
Claim:A key military installation in Adampur, Jalandhar, was hit by Pakistan
Fact:False. The image shows Russian S-400 launch units destroyed by Ukraine in 2024. No official or media reports confirm any attack on Adampur.
Amid the escalating tension between India and Pakistan, with both countries reportedly targeting various sites, an image showing destroyed launch units has been circulating on social media, claiming that a key military installation in Adampur, Jalandhar, was hit by Pakistan.
An X handle, IndoPak Intel, shared the image with the caption, “Indian officials confirmed that a key military installation in Adampur was hit last night.” (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found the claim false, as the image shows Russian S-400 launch units destroyed by Ukraine at Dzhankoi in Crimea in 2024.
Upon conducting a reverse image search, we found the image featured in a report published by The Moscow Times on April 18, 2024, titled, “Ukraine Says Hit Russian Airfield in Annexed Crimea.
According to the report, on April 17, 2024, Ukrainian forces carried out a significant strike on the Russian-operated Dzhankoi air base in northern Crimea. The attack reportedly led to the destruction of radar systems, air defence units, and other military assets. The accompanying image was described as showing destroyed Russian S-400 launchers at the Dzhankoi base in occupied Crimea.
We also found that the image was shared by the X handle of The Eurasian Times on April 18, 2024, and appeared in a report published by the outlet on the same day.
According to the report, Russia lost an S-400 surface-to-air missile (SAM) battery in northern Crimea following a Ukrainian strike. The attack was reportedly carried out using the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), launched from a High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). This report also identifies the image as showing the destroyed S-400 system at the Dzhankoi air base in northern Crimea.
According to an April 18, 2024, report by Reuters, Ukraine's military intelligence agency stated that a Ukrainian strike on a military airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea on caused significant damage, reportedly resulting in destruction or critically damaged four S-400 surface-to-air missile launchers, three radar stations, an air defence control centre, and other military equipment at the Dzhankoi air base.
We also searched for reports of military installations being attacked in Adampur but found no official statements from the government or credible media coverage. Therefore, since the image actually shows destroyed Russian launchers in Crimea, we conclude that the claim is false.
