“Wartime Fashion Photoshoot: Bad Idea”. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the first lady Olena Selenska They posed for the cover story of Vogue magazine, sparking controversial reactions and fierce controversy on the internet for this choice, which in the eyes of many seems completely inappropriate and taken out of context. Vogue published a photo of Zelenska on the digital cover, calling her the “face of courage” and portraying the Ukrainian first lady sitting in the president’s office in black pants and a white top. In other footage published in the magazine’s report, the first lady can still be seen in the country’s rubble and accompanied by soldiers from Kyiv. Is it appropriate for a warring president to pose for a glossy fashion magazine with his wife? According to many, Zelenski failed in one area, communication, where until recently he was more than efficient and astute. Given the dramatic context and a war that killed thousands, was it really necessary?
Zelensky and his wife pose for Vogue
“Zelensky defeated the Russians in information warfare. A wartime fashion photo shoot: bad idea.” Saying that is by no means a pro-Russian expert, but the American politician Jan Bremer, President and Founder of Eurasia Group. “Wartime fashion photo shoots, very serious. We continue to send billions of dollars in aid packages to Ukraine weekly to protect “democracy.” he remarked insteadwith a degree of sarcasm, Logan Hall from the Daily Caller.
Although some users are trying to defend the Ukrainian president, the gist of the comments remains it is negative. “We send money and weapons, the poor Ukrainians are dying under the bombs, and the Zelensky spouses, what are they doing? Photo shoot for Vogue,” one user wrote, while others commented, “Zelensky and Olena on the cover of Vogue a war with so many dead and they start doing a photo set. Zero sensitivity, disrespect for all the dead and all the people fighting for them. Shame “. And again: “Ukraine is a country devastated by bombs and civilians who died in the streets, who died so that this gentleman could go out with his wife in the latest issue of Vogue!”.
The interview with the presidential couple
In the long interview published in the famous fashion magazine, the First Lady says that she is confident in the military victory of Kiev and is inspired by the courage of its citizens: “These were the most terrible months of my life and the life of all Ukrainians”, says Olena. “We can’t wait for the win. We have no doubts that we will prevail. And that helps us move forward.” Much space is devoted in the report to the lives of women on the frontlines with the Russians and Olena’s recent trip to Washington, DC, where she met the US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Zelensky’s wife also spoke to Congress, showing dramatic images of Ukrainian children being killed by Russian missiles and urging lawmakers to support Kyiv by shipping more weapons. However, the controversy surrounding the Vogue service remains. If war is also, and above all, propaganda and communication, then this time the Zelenesky spouses probably went far beyond the limit and took a wrong step. Also for the western “society of the spectacle”.