The US Department of Defense faced criticism after posting a Flag Day greeting that appeared to contain Russian flag colors.

However, the image actually contained only two stripes – white and red – with a gap between them. The blue background of the image created the optical illusion of a blue stripe between the white and red ones, giving the appearance of the Russian tricolor.

The Pentagon’s post featured an image that, alongside the American flag, displayed what initially appeared to be two small Russian tricolors.

The post included a message stating: “Let us honor the emblem of our nation and the stars and stripes that unite us all. As we display our nations flag and reflect on the values it represents, let’s celebrate the freedom, courage and resilience that makes our country great.”

The apparent error drew immediate attention from observers. Former Voice of America Ukrainian correspondent Ostap Yarish questioned the design, writing: “Who made this design? I understand it wasn’t intentional, but these white, blue, and red stripes look exactly like the Russian flag.”

Despite numerous comments from users pointing out the perceived mistake, the Defense Department did not remove the image, which remains on their social media platforms.

On 14 June, the US held its first military parade in decades to mark the army’s 250th anniversary. The parade featured thousands of servicemembers and various military equipment, while simultaneously, Americans across the country participated in protests against Trump under the slogan “No Kings.”