The billboard, promoting military service with the slogan “For ours!” depicted a serviceman holding a child.

Residents familiar with military uniforms from both sides quickly identified the soldier as a Ukrainian.

The image, taken by Associated Press photographer Vadym Ghirda in March 2022, originally shows a Ukrainian soldier helping a child cross the Irpin River amid a Russian airstrike.

Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak issued a reprimand to Dmitry Kazimirik, the acting head of the city’s architecture and urban planning committee, Russia’s kommersant.ru news outlet reported.

In a statement cited by Kommersant, Kutsak criticized “blatant negligence” in the creation and placement of the billboard.

“The banner was removed immediately,” Kutsak said on his Telegram channel. Local authorities also confirmed the error, saying that the use of the photo was unintentional.

The blunder has sparked widespread criticism from both Russian and Ukrainian commentators, with many questioning how such a mistake could occur during a time of war.