Two viral videos were falsely presented as footage of Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow. One clip is from a 2020 public market fire in Ajman, UAE; the other shows a March 2026 restaurant fire in Kafr Tahermes, Egypt. Reverse-image searches, earlier social posts, Google Street View and local news reports confirm both videos are unrelated to the September 20–21, 2026 attacks, underscoring the need for careful verification.
Two Viral Fire Videos Falsely Linked To Moscow Drone Strikes — One From UAE (2020), One From Egypt (2026)
Screenshots of the false posts captured on September 22, 2026, with red Xs added by AFP
Summary: Two widely shared videos claiming to show damage from Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow are unrelated. One clip shows a 2020 public market fire in Ajman, United Arab Emirates; the other depicts a restaurant fire in Kafr Tahermes, Egypt, from March 2026. Reverse-image searches, earlier social posts, local news reports and Google Street View confirm these origins.
Screenshot comparison between false X post (L) and Google Maps street view of same location in Ajman, with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP
What Was Shared Online
In the wake of reported drone attacks on Moscow on September 20–21, 2026, several social media posts — including Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) entries with Hindi captions — circulated two dramatic videos purporting to show strike damage. The posts claimed waves of Ukrainian drones had caused widespread damage across Moscow, and linked the videos to those attacks.
Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (L) and a similar video posted by Khabar on March 20, 2026, with matching shop sign highlighted by AFP
Where The Footage Actually Came From
Ajman Public Market Fire (August 2020)
Keyframes from the first viral clip match an earlier Facebook post from August 7, 2020 (the footage appears flipped horizontally in the later shares). That clip corresponds to news coverage of a large blaze at Ajman’s public market on August 5, 2020. Gulf News and Ajman police footage reported the fire destroyed roughly 125 stalls and caused parts of the market structure to collapse. Elements in the video also match Google Street View imagery of the market area.
Nour Al-Sham Restaurant Fire, Kafr Tahermes (March 2026)
Keyframes from the second viral clip match a March 20, 2026, post by the Egypt-based outlet Khabar. The Arabic caption described a fire at a restaurant in Kafr Tahermes, Faisal, where flames rapidly spread across the property. Local news outlets including El-Sadara El-Dawlia and Veto Gate published photos and reports that correspond to the footage.
Context: The Moscow Attacks
Moscow authorities, including Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, said the September 20 strikes involved around 1,600 drones, with roughly 450 aimed at the capital. Officials reported two fatalities and released images showing a gaping hole in an apartment building and thick smoke near what appeared to be an oil facility. While those attacks were widely reported, the two viral clips reviewed here are unrelated to them.
How The Videos Were Verified
Verification steps included:
- Reverse-image and keyframe searches to find prior postings of the same footage.
- Comparing visual details (shop signs, street layout) with Google Street View and other archival imagery.
- Consulting contemporaneous local news reports and original social posts in Arabic and Nepali.
Why Accurate Attribution Matters
High-profile conflicts often trigger rapid sharing of dramatic imagery. Misattributing older or unrelated footage to recent events can distort public understanding, escalate tensions and undermine credible reporting. This case highlights the importance of basic verification — such as reverse-image searches and cross-checking local reporting — before amplifying sensational clips.
Takeaway: The two viral videos circulating after the September 20–21, 2026 Moscow drone attacks do not show those strikes. One is from Ajman in 2020; the other is from Kafr Tahermes in March 2026.
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