TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the 2022 Taiwan local elections are near, this whimsical billboard advertisement was spotted by a Taiwanese journalist in Taichung City last week.

Leslie Liao (Twitter @AngryTaiwanman), a journalist at Radio Taiwan International (RTI), told Taiwan News that he spotted this billboard in Taichung's Beitun District. The sign is an advertisement for Tuan Ti-pei (段體佩), who is an independent candidate running for Taichung City Council.

In the ad, Tuan can be seen kneeling while wearing military fatigues and a red, white, and blue sash across his chest. Behind him is a Taiwanese flag on top of a giant Ukrainian flag, which forms the rest of the background.

To the right are the words: "People have to be strong to be respected." Tuan's right boot steps on the head of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who looks upward nervously.

On the lower section of the ad is Tuan's name, followed by the words "Fix the scoundrel Putin." The banner is in character for Tuan, who is staunchly anti-Russian and pro-Ukrainian.

When the banner first surfaced in May, Tomasz Sniedziewski, a Polish journalist who lives in Kaohsiung, shared a photo of the billboard on Twitter on May 24 and wrote in Polish: "Taiwanese Geopolitics - a candidate for local government in Taichung promises to kick Putin's ass."

Tuan has previously posted messages on his Facebook page such as:

"May Putin die suddenly, Xi Jinping have a stroke, and Kim Jong-un have a heart attack"

"God bless Ukraine to turn defeat into victory! Putin rushes to be assassinated! One bullet kills the Putin world and peace is restored! If Ukraine can't hold up, Poland and Taiwan will be invaded and ruled by totalitarianism in the future!"

Tuan also said that he felt great sorrow in response to the Bucha massacre in Ukraine allegedly perpetrated by Russian armed forces.

Tuan campaign billboard. (Twitter, @AngryTaiwanman photo)