Even as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues for the 154th day, the country's President Volodymyr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska appeared on the cover of fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue, attracting much criticism and some praise from netizens.
In a series of photographs on the Instagram handle of the magazine, the first lady was seen posing in front of a wreckage. There are also photos of the couple in a comfortable home. The cover of the magazine has the photo of Olena Zelenska for a feature article titled 'Portrait of Bravery: Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska'.
The couple spoke to the magazine about "life in wartime, their marriage and shared history, and the dreams for Ukraine’s future," the Instagram post read.
“In Ukraine, tens of thousands of women have been on the front lines, including in combat, and First Lady Olena Zelenska’s role has increasingly turned toward frontline diplomacy. She recently traveled to Washington, albeit on an unofficial, unannounced visit, and met with President Biden, first lady Dr. Jill Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. There, she also addressed Congress, telling a bipartisan group of lawmakers that she was speaking as a mother and daughter, not just a first lady. “I’m asking for something I would never want to ask for: I am asking for weapons—weapons that would not be used to wage a war on somebody else’s land but to protect one’s home and the right to wake up alive in that home,” she said that day,” it read.
While a few people praised the couple, many others pointed out that the photoshoot for a fashion magazine wasn't appropriate as a war is raging in Ukraine.
"This is not it. Their people are suffering and dying, but let’s do a Vogue photoshoot?," wrote one user.
"Theme is important, okay give it a go in fashion/ lifestyle magazine, but stylization of photos about fighting the war? Really? The war face isn’t good enough for you? Jesus, even war should be beautiful in this sick world," said another.
Another user wrote: "Wow I had no idea War is “In Vogue”"
Is this a joke, asked a user.