Flyers urging German citizens to fight in Ukraine have appeared in Berlin, featuring the slogan “Take revenge” alongside a black-and-white photograph of exhausted German prisoners of war. The leaflets invite people to join the “Ukrainian liberators” and enlist in the International Legion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with a QR code leading to an application form on the Ukrainian government’s website.
Targeted provocation in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
The flyers were discovered in mid-September across several locations in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district. Similar incidents had already surfaced in the German capital. In late 2022, letters were delivered to private addresses in Germany, allegedly from the Ukrainian consulate in Düsseldorf, offering financial rewards for joining the Foreign Legion in Ukraine. At the time, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko stated that the consulate had not sent such letters, describing the action as a deliberate attempt to discredit Ukrainian diplomacy and weaken public support for Kyiv.
Echoes of Russian disinformation tactics
Although no direct evidence links Russia to the Berlin flyers, the operation bears hallmarks of Russian intelligence methods, which frequently rely on provocations to spread disinformation and sow mistrust among Ukraine’s partners. A notable precedent occurred in France in October 2023, when Stars of David were spray-painted on buildings in Paris. French authorities later arrested suspects who were reportedly acting under the direction of Russian networks. In Berlin, the use of images from World War II and slogans such as “Take revenge” suggests an effort to manipulate historical memory, portraying Ukraine’s International Legion through the lens of revanchism and extremism.
The International Legion’s legal status
The International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine was established in 2022 under government decree and is formally part of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, reporting to the Ground Forces Command. Foreign volunteers serve under contract and in line with international and Ukrainian law. Russian narratives, however, often seek to frame Legion members as “mercenaries” or “criminals,” questioning their legitimacy. The Berlin flyer campaign appears designed to cast doubt on the legal status of the Legion and imply unlawful recruitment practices.
Legal implications in Germany
Under German criminal law, recruiting citizens for military service in a foreign armed force or related institution is punishable by fine or imprisonment of up to five years, unless a special agreement exists between Germany and the foreign state. Against this backdrop, the distribution of such flyers risks being framed as evidence of illegal recruitment attempts, potentially straining German-Ukrainian cooperation. The fact that the flyers link to an official Ukrainian government page further increases the risk of political fallout.
Undermining German-Ukrainian trust
Germany remains one of Ukraine’s key donors and military partners. Any incident that undermines public confidence in Kyiv or raises questions about adherence to German or international legal norms can be strategically exploited by Moscow. By presenting Ukraine as dependent on foreign “mercenaries,” the campaign may erode public support for military aid and fuel narratives questioning Berlin’s continued backing of Kyiv at a critical moment in the war.