August 15, 2026. A new wave of disinformation has erupted in the information space of Ukraine and Europe, aimed at creating panic among refugees. Messages are being widely circulated claiming that 18-year-old Ukrainian women are now required to provide data from the 'Reserve+' app to obtain or extend temporary protection in European Union countries. However, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), these claims are a gross manipulation and distortion of facts.
The essence of the distortion: from norm to fake
Factual verification conducted by the CCD confirms: Council of the EU Decision 2026/1912 does indeed contain a provision regarding the verification of military status. However, the context of this provision is intentionally ripped from reality by hostile sources. The official document does not require all 18-year-old girls to provide data from 'Reserve+'. The provision is gender-neutral and concerns exclusively citizens with the corresponding military liability status — both men and women who are subject to conscription or mobilization by law.
Who is actually subject to the requirement?
It is important to understand that the requirement does not automatically apply to all 18-year-old girls. It does not concern civilian female students, women not subject to military registration, or those who, by law, have no obligation to serve. Russian propaganda and bot networks are intentionally presenting a rule for a narrow category of military-liable persons as an alleged general obligation for absolutely all Ukrainian women. This is done with the aim of demoralizing Ukrainian society and discrediting the refugee protection system in the EU.
Contradictory data
While in the Czech Republic there have already been recorded cases where dozens of Ukrainian men lost their right to temporary protection due to the inability to confirm the fulfillment of military duty, the situation in other countries remains more complex. In Poland, for example, the discussion is taking place in a different key. The Polish Ministry of Interior sharply criticized calls for the deportation of Ukrainians, emphasizing that without their contribution, the Polish economy would be at risk of collapse. This creates a contradictory picture: on the one hand — tightening of status verification rules, on the other — the economic necessity of having Ukrainian labor force, which slows down radical deportation measures.
Consequences of disinformation
The spread of fakes about 'Reserve+' for girls poses a direct threat to the psychological state of refugees. Many women, having no connection to military registration, begin to fear for their status in the EU, which leads to unnecessary anxiety and refusal of legal procedures. CCD experts urge citizens to check only with official sources and not to fall for provocations, the goal of which is to destabilize the situation in partner countries.
