From time to time, reports emerge in the Romanian public sphere claiming that the state has sent soldiers to Ukraine or plans to mobilize young people for the front. These narratives are primarily spread and amplified by extremist and sovereigntist parties, especially during election campaigns. Official authorities, however, have repeatedly and clearly denied these false claims, emphasizing that Romania has sent only weapons and equipment to support Ukraine, not troops.
Despite this, in recent months, news about the alleged participation of Romanian soldiers has gained increasing attention in extremist political communication and on social media, creating the impression that Bucharest is secretly mobilizing its citizens.
The Romanian Presidential Election and Fake News
After the Romanian presidential election on May 18, in which candidates supporting extremist and sovereigntist discourse, such as George Simion and Călin Georgescu, were defeated by the pro-European candidate, online and offline manipulation networks quickly adjusted their strategy. Before the elections, the focus had been on attacks against European values and conspiracy-theory messages supporting radical candidates; afterward, the narrative shifted to a new, sensitive area: fear of war.
Fake news began to circulate widely, claiming that Romanian authorities were preparing to conscript young people for the Ukrainian front or that large numbers of Romanian soldiers were already fighting there. On May 21, a post appeared on X claiming to provide “evidence” that authorities were preparing to mobilize reservists. The Ministry of National Defense (MApN) quickly labeled this information as disinformation.
At the end of May, during a military exercise affecting three Romanian counties, another rumor spread on X that a general military mobilization was underway in Romania. The Ministry of National Defense later clarified that the MOBEX OT-GR-TR-25 routine military exercise carried out in Olt, Giurgiu, and Teleorman counties from May 26 to 31 was solely to assess mobilization reserves and was not connected to deploying Romanian military personnel to Ukraine.
In May, rumors of military mobilization also spread on TikTok. On May 23, the Presidential Administration categorically rejected these false claims circulating on the platform. Officials emphasized that no such decision had been made, and that statements had been taken out of context. The original post allegedly contained conscription orders circulated by anonymous accounts, accompanied by alarmist narratives suggesting Romania was being forced to intervene in the Russian–Ukrainian conflict.
Although authorities clarified that no ongoing military mobilization exists, and that such claims are aimed at creating panic, undermining trust in the military, and feeding pro-Russian narratives, the spread of fake news has not stopped.
Political Manipulation in Rumors About Romanian Soldiers in Ukraine
Reports claiming Romanian soldiers were sent or preparing to go to Ukraine are strongly linked to political manipulation. According to a May survey by INSCOP Research, 42% of Romanians fear the country may be dragged into war, largely reflecting public opinion influenced by sovereigntist parties. George Simion, who received 41% in the first round of the presidential election, openly demanded that Romania not send troops or weapons to Ukraine. He ultimately lost in the second round against Nicușor Dan. The polling data and the support for the extremist candidate thus almost completely overlap (42% vs. 41%).
Few Romanians Are Fighting in Ukraine, and They Are Volunteers
Fake news about Romanian military mobilization continues to spread despite repeated official statements to the contrary. Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu has stated multiple times that the Romanian army has not sent soldiers to Ukraine, and Romania is providing only equipment and ammunition.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also explicitly denied to PressHub that Romanian armed forces are participating in the Russian–Ukrainian war, emphasizing that it has no statistical data on the composition or casualties of the Ukrainian army, nor official information on Romanian citizens at the front.
The Ministry noted that if any Romanian citizens are serving in the Ukrainian army, it is entirely the result of individual decisions without the involvement of the Romanian state. Ukrainian citizens of Romanian ethnicity are subject to the same obligations as other Ukrainians, and there is no data indicating any discriminatory conscription practices.
Romanian participation in the Ukrainian war is minimal. Official data suggest 45–55 Romanian citizens may have served in the Ukrainian army, though the real number is likely closer to 100. Most are volunteers, many from the Chernivtsi region or Moldova, and fight within the “Getica” International Battalion.
Since the start of the Russian invasion, no more than about 100 Romanian citizens have participated in the conflict in Ukraine. Most volunteers were not members of the Romanian army but civilians with prior military experience. Their decisions are often driven by personal convictions. Therefore, there is no question of mass mobilization.
