Close-up reveals St. Andrew’s Cross, which is used by the Russian Navy.

The organizers of the Democratic National Convention were clearly rushing. Images of Russian warships were displayed on the screen behind retired Adm. John Nathman during his tribute to the troops. The error was first reported to the Navy Times by Rob Barker, a former electronics warfare technician. Barker was able to identify the ships by their radars but there was a much more obvious clue: they’re flying a Russian flag!

Norman Polmar, author of The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, recognized the flag while examining high-resolution photos. “The X is the Cross of St. Andrew’s, which is a Russian Navy symbol,” Polmar explained.

The stock photo was purchased from shutterstock.com and lacked any identifying keywords like “Russian” but the Democratic National Convention Committee took full responsibility … by blaming Mitt Romney.

“Due to vendor error, incorrect images appeared briefly on screen behind fifty-one veterans during the convention and the DNCC apologizes for this mistake,” they said in a statement. “This error should not distract from the words of Admiral Nathman and others who spoke to President Obama’s strong record on issues that impact those who have served our nation. We’re proud of the service and sacrifice of our veterans and military families, and while they were an important and active part our of convention, Mitt Romney failed to even mention them in his speech in Tampa.”