FAKE: In Ukraine, women with a chemical education are being recruited for the war to prepare “provocations”

The Russian media quotes a Kremlin protege of the people’s militia in the so-called “LPR” that women who have an education in chemistry, biology or veterinary medicine are allegedly being recruited for the war in Ukraine. The publication adds that in this way Ukraine is preparing for “provocations” with chemical weapons.

This is a fake. There is no convincing evidence that women are being recruited into the Armed Forces of Ukraine to prepare “provocations” with chemical weapons

On October 7, 2022, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 6482 “On the voluntary procedure for the inclusion of women in the military register of conscripts”. According to the list of professions from the Ministry of Defense, women who have the specified specialties and are fit for service in terms of their health can, of their own accord, register for military service. In particular, the fields of chemistry and biology are among the professions. Only women with a medical education must register for the military, but this provision will come into effect in 2026.

There is no confirmation in open sources that women are being recruited en masse to the Armed Forces of Ukraine to carry out “chemical provocations”.

Ukraine’s international partners have repeatedly refuted Russian claims about Ukraine’s use of chemical weapons. For example, in the summer of 2022, 52 member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) issued a joint statement condemning Russian lies. In addition, OPCW member states emphasized that Ukraine adheres to the Geneva Convention and does not use chemical weapons. In December 2022, the US Permanent Representative to the OPCW stated that there is no confirmation of the use of chemical weapons by Ukraine. We also refuted numerous Russian fakes about the alleged use of chemical weapons by Ukraine.