A photo shared on Twitter appears to show a poster asking welfare recipients to join the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine. 

Tired of living on welfare?
Have you considered dying for Ukraine? pic.twitter.com/5bTJ8uvzdH

— Gritty is the Way (@Gritty20202) April 3, 2023

Verdict: False

The image is not genuine. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Embassy in the U.S. confirmed that the poster is fake in an email to Check Your Fact.

Fact Check: 

Ukraine recently decided to give Russia the choice to leave Crimea voluntarily or face battle as Ukraine tries to reclaim its land, according to Politico. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva suggested that Ukraine give up Crimea to put an end to the war, according to Euronews.

The Twitter post allegedly shows a poster trying to recruit low-income US citizens to fight for Ukraine. The post includes an image of a man sleeping on a bus seat with the sign reading “Tired of living on welfare? Join the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine,” while listing certain benefits.

“Tired of living on welfare?” the caption reads. “Have you considered dying for Ukraine?” The tweet’s author tweet claims in the comments that the image was taken in a subway in New York City.

The poster is not genuine. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about such an ad. Certain details about the advertisement, including incorrect legion info, appear in the poster, according to Snopes. (RELATED: Video Is From Movie Set, Not Russian-Ukrainian War)

“The posters you are asking about are not real. Neither Ukrainian MFA, MOD, nor the Embassy ever produced any materials marketing the recruitment of the US citizens to the Legion,” a spokesperson for the Ukraine Embassy in the U.S. confirmed in an email to Check Your Fact. 

Check Your Fact has reached out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.