A post shared on Facebook claims to show a photo of American mercenaries fighting in the Kursk region of Russia as part of Ukraine’s counterattack following the invasion of the country.

Verdict: False

The image predates Ukraine’s counteroffensive into Russia. In addition, there have been no official reports that American mercenaries have been dispatched to Ukraine.

Fact Check:

Ukrainian forces have pushed deeper into Russian territory following the start of a counteroffensive against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and marking the first time areas occupied by Russia have been challenged directly, according to CNN. The counteroffensive has caused Russia to pull some of its arsenal from critical battleground areas to curb the offensive, the outlet reported.

The Facebook post appears to show a photo of mercenaries, wearing American armor, standing over a body with the caption claiming the location of the image is from Russian territory. “American mercenaries exposed invading Russia’s Kursk region,” the caption reads.

The image predates Ukraine’s counteroffensive into Russia. A reverse image search conducted by Check Your Fact found the image was taken in September 2022, well before the current offensive. The image, first circulating on Telegram, reads “Now you can! Balakleya is Ukraine,” with a Ukrainian flag on the post.

The image is from Ukrainian blogger Denis Kazanskyi, which was also featured on Ukrainian news sites Apostrophe and Slovoidilo. “At escape from Balaklia in the Kharkiv region, the Russian occupiers lost a lot of living power and equipment,” the Apostrophe article reads in part. “Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazan published a eloquent photo in which two fighters of the Armed Forces ‘selfish’ against the background of the ‘eye’ lying on the ground.”

American veterans did join the Ukrainian military as mercenaries to fight against Russia’s invasion, despite warnings from the State Department, according to The Washington Post. Dakota Rudesill, an associate professor of the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, wrote in a post for Just Security in March 2022, that joining as a mercenary would violate the Neutrality Act, which could lead to prosecution.

On Aug. 11, Russian forces reportedly lost 1,240 soldiers, including 57 artillery systems and 21 tanks, on that day alone, according to Pravda. The outlet, citing Bloomberg, states that the Russian army is seeking to prompt a new mobilization wave following dwindling numbers caused by losses in the region.