Supermodel Irina Shayk is at the center of a social media storm after she was accused of “supporting Putin’s war” by using his “Z” symbol on Instagram.
She captioned a picture of a traditional Olivier salad with the phrase “Russianzz on Wednesday,” provoking outrage from Ukrainians and others who interpreted the spelling as a reference to Russia’s war symbol, Z.
The anger came a day after Putin’s forces fired a Kalibr missile at busy downtown Vinnytsia, killing 23 people, including three children.
Social media users recalled that the Russian-born star and ex-fiancé of Hollywood star Bradley Cooper previously posed with a book that featured Vladimir Putin’s picture.
The story depicting the salad – a Russian specialty – disappeared after 24 hours and Shayk, 36, has not commented on the hostile reaction.
Supermodel Irina Shayk, 36, is at the center of a social media storm after she was accused of “supporting Putin’s war” by using his “Z” symbol on Instagram and a story captioned “Russianzz on Wednesday ( sic)” posted.
The story depicting the salad – a Russian specialty that caused outrage among Ukrainians and others – disappeared after 24 hours, and Shayk did not comment on the hostile reaction
Netizens recalled that she posed with a picture of Putin in April 2020, a picture that has also disappeared from her account
Ukrainian journalist Maria Romanenko urged sponsors to reconsider working with her on the post.
She tweeted: “Irina Shayk – world famous model from Russia who has recently worked for @Beyonce, Jean Paul Gaultier, @Burberry and others – posted a strange cryptic story on Instagram using the word ‘Russianzz’.
“I really hope that when Russia uses Z to kill Ukrainians, these brands will reconsider working with her.”
“You must be banned from the house [the] civilized world while supporting Russian terrorism against the Ukrainian people! Stay in Russia forever and forget about the US and Europe – hypocrisy,” wrote one critic.
“I can not imagine that! How you support them after all the deaths caused by Russia and write Z… wrote another.
Considered by some to be the equivalent of the swastika, the Z-mark is widely used by Putin’s armed forces and in pro-Russian propaganda.
Another hostile comment read: “Hopefully one day you will feel like people from Ukraine who have lost their children.”
Another pleaded: “@nk9.6.1 @burberry @louisvuitton @balenciaga @chaneloffial @supremenwyork @boss @versace @intimissimiofficial please be careful who you work with.”
Firefighters work alongside rescue workers, military and police at the scene of the Russian missile attack in downtown Vinnytsia
Emergency services work next to a damaged building at the scene of a Russian military strike as Russia’s assault on Ukraine continues in Vinnytsia
Shayk has been accused of being a “supporter of the terrorist state of Ruzzia and the genocide of Ukraine.”
Another commenter branded her a “Putin supporter” and asked, “@victoriassecret how does it feel working with Russian fascists who support Russia’s genocidal war against Ukraine?”
Many comments related to the carnage in Vinnytsia, when Putin’s forces fired a Kalibr missile at the busy city center yesterday, killing 23 people including three children.
The missile, launched from a submarine in the Black Sea, crashed on Vinnytsia around 10:50 a.m. local time, injuring at least 100 people.
Footage shows the moment of impact as cyclists and pedestrians were going about their day when suddenly the destructive force of the blast knocked them off their bikes while others ducked and fell to the ground for safety.
Irina Shayk’s last modeling gig — and maybe her last — was just this week for Beyoncé’s new Ivy Park “Ivytopia” collection
Irina is the ex-fiancee of Bradley Cooper (R, pictured May 2) after amicably ending their four-year relationship in 2019, pictured at the 91st Annual Academy Awards in 2019
Terrorized people are running away to escape the strike unleashed on the city of 370,000 in the center of the country, far from the Donbass front.
One outraged commenter asked Shayk, “Have you seen these photos of ? [the] Vinnytsia bombing?
“Did you see those little, bloody corpses murdered by your Z-Army children, your daughter’s age?
“Are you proud of it, Ms Shaykhlislamova?
“I will never touch brands you promote and none of my friends will.
“We should boycott any company that works with this monster.”