Propagandists spreading pro-Russian rhetoric in the media and anonymous telegram channels claim that the European Commission and the European Council allegedly officially sent a letter to the King of Spain with a request to grant permanent residence permits in the country to the children of the President of Ukraine, the ex-minister of defense and minister, as well as other Ukrainian officials. It's fake.

The fact-checker of the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found that the “letter” being circulated by propagandists is a fake, likely based on a letter from the European Council to King Mohammed VI of Morocco dated September 9, 2023. This letter can be found on the official website of the European Union. Meanwhile, the “letter” that propagandists talk about is not there, which is atypical, since all letters and statements from EU institutions are published on the website. The “letter” is not on the European Commission website either. In addition, Russian media have not been able to decide on the status they are “asking” for the children of Ukrainian officials. While it is about “citizenship” or “nationality”, the “letter” talks about a certificate of permanent residence. The procedure for obtaining a certificate in Spain by applying to the king is illogical, since without it it can be obtained using a simplified procedure in accordance with European Council Directive 2001/55/EC. In addition, the “letter” lists only male persons with a purely Russian transcription of first and last names, which does not coincide with the official transcription for Ukrainian foreign passports. The fake was refuted by the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

Propagandists spread such fakes to discredit the Ukrainian authorities and cause panic among the population about a “comprehensive mobilization”. They say that while some are caught on the street and taken to the centers of recruitment and social support, the children of politicians are taken abroad so that they are not taken to war. Detector Media previously talked about other fakes regarding mobilization in Ukraine.