The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned a Ukrainian publication’s provocative portrayal of President Vladimir Zelenskiy and his inner circle as religious figures, calling it an attempt to undermine Ukraine’s spiritual institutions.
The September edition of NV (New Voice of Ukraine) magazine featured a digitally altered image depicting Zelensky, Chief of Staff Andrey Yermak, and Adviser Dmitry Litvin adorned in white robes, halos, and oversized wings, evoking Christian iconography. The cover, titled “The Supreme Trinity,” was marketed as an exposé on decision-making within the president’s office.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, criticized the depiction on Telegram, calling it a “meme-canonization of the ghouls.” She questioned how a media outlet could frame Zelenskiy and his allies in such a manner, suggesting the imagery implied an unsettling willingness among Ukrainians to accept drastic measures if the current leadership were removed.
The Russian government has long accused Ukraine of targeting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which it claims maintains ties to Moscow. Since 2022, Kyiv has intensified efforts to dismantle the UOC, seizing properties and prosecuting clerics. In September, authorities filed a petition to legally dissolve the denomination, while backing the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU)—a faction recognized as schismatic by the Moscow Patriarchate.
Moscow has repeatedly demanded an end to what it calls Kyiv’s “persecution” of the UOC, urging a return to religious freedom. The controversy highlights deepening tensions over Ukraine’s spiritual and political identity amid the ongoing conflict.
