Footage of a Russian pilgrimage shared with claims it shows Tel Aviv ‘exodus’

A screenshot of a recent video showing a large group of people walking with rucksacks is being shared on social media with claims it shows an “exodus” of people leaving Tel Aviv, Israel, “in droves”. This context suggests that the footage is related to the Israel-Iran conflict, which has seen both countries exchange missile and drone strikes. At the time of writing, a ceasefire appears to be holding.

In fact the footage comes from a different event, in Russia. Full Fact traced the video back to social media posts dating to at least 6 June 2025, a week before Israel launched an attack on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and other targets on 13 June.

Captions accompanying the original social media posts say the footage shows the Russian Orthodox Velikorestsky Pilgrimage, which takes place every 3-8 June, and is unrelated to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. A cross can be seen at 24 seconds into the video, suggesting it was a mainly Christian event.

Full Fact has been able to geolocate the video to a street in Kirov, Russia, along the pilgrimage route.

Since the recent conflict in the Middle East began, Full Fact has seen related misinformation circulating widely on social media. Before sharing content that you see online, consider whether it comes from a trustworthy and verifiable source. Our guides to spotting misleading images and videos can help you do this.