Several channels on Youtube are spreading the supposed shipment of dozens, if not hundreds, of A-29 Super Tucano planes, to Ukraine.
One of the videos already has nearly 600,000 views with the misleading headline that the US has sent dozens of Embraer aircraft to Ukraine to replace the L-39 Albatros jets.
Another channel went further to say that “the US deploys 314 A-29 super tucano in Ukrainian territory”. The number ‘314’ refers to the designation of the aircraft by Embraer (EMB-314).
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Despite propagating untrue information, the video had already been viewed 1 million times.
The channels also use low-quality photo montages with various Super Tucano planes to make the videos more attractive to viewers.
Fact: Ukraine probed Embraer for a possible acquisition of 12 A-29 Super Tucanos in 2019
False claims leverage two real facts to create repercussions. The first is that the US Air Force (USAF) actually has the A-29 in its inventory, but only three aircraft and that they were used for tests that have now ended.
The three Super Tucanos delivered by Embraer’s partner, Sierra Nevada, will be decommissioned this year.
The second fact is that Ukraine really showed interest in having the A-29 as a replacement for the L-39 Albatros, but well before the Russian invasion.
In 2019, on a visit to Brazil, a Ukrainian delegation considered an order for 12 aircraft from Embraer, but an agreement was never concluded.
