Fact check: False claim video shows Russian submarine off the coast of Hawaii
The claim: Video shows Russian nuclear submarine 'suddenly floating' near Hawaii
The caption of a Dec. 26 Facebook video claims it shows a Russian submarine surfacing off the coast of Hawaii.
"Russia's most advanced nuclear submarine is suddenly floating in the Hawaiian Sea," reads the video's caption.
The video was viewed more than 1.7 million times and shared more than 600 times in two weeks.
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Our rating: False
The video is a five-minute clip from an episode of "Hawaii Five-0," specifically Episode 25 of Season 8, "Waiho Wale Kahiko." It first aired on May 18, 2018, on CBS. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command hasn't made any statements about a Russian submarine being sighted near Hawaii.
Video shows footage from television show 'Hawaii Five-0'
The clip of "Hawaii Five-0" shown in the video is from an episode about "the team discover(ing) a Russian spy ring hiding on Oahu, Hawaii … when one of their submarines appears off the coast," according to IMDB.
A total of 240 episodes of "Hawaii Five-0" aired on CBS from 2010 to 2020 before it was canceled. The show was a reboot of "Hawaii Five-0," which aired on CBS from 1968 to 1980.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which is based in Hawaii, hasn't released any information about a Russian submarine being seen off the coast of Hawaii, nor are there any credible news reports of such an event.
Fact check: War in Ukraine continues, contrary to post
While the video in the post doesn't show a Russian submarine near Hawaii, Russian ships have previously been detected in the region. In May, the U.S. military reported that it was tracking a "Russian surface vessel operating in international waters in the vicinity of Hawaii," according to KHON2, which cited a statement from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently oversaw the commissioning of several new warships, including a nuclear submarine, the sixth submarine of the new Borei class to join the Russian navy, according to the Associated Press.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment.
Check Your Fact also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
IMDB, accessed Jan. 9, Hawaii Five-0
IMDB, accessed Jan. 9, Waiho Wale Kahiko
TV Guide, Feb. 28, 2020, Hawaii Five-0 Canceled After 10 Seasons
IMDB, accessed Jan. 9, Hawaii Five-0
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, accessed Jan. 9, Area of Responsibility
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, accessed Jan. 9, PACOM News
KHON2, May 1, 2022, Military tracks Russian vessel near Hawaii
Naval Technology, accessed Jan. 9, SSBN Borei Class Nuclear-Powered Submarines
Associated Press, Dec. 29, 2022, Putin oversees commissioning of new Russian navy warships
Check Your Fact, Jan. 5, Fact check: Video claims to show a Russian nuclear submarine in Hawaii
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: False claim video shows Russian submarine near Hawaii
