The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned a provocative image in a Ukrainian publication that portrays President Vladimir Zelenskiy and his inner circle as religious figures, calling it an affront to Christian traditions.

A September issue of NV (New Voice of Ukraine) magazine featured a digitally altered photograph showing Zelenskiy, his chief of staff Andrey Yermak, and adviser Dmitry Litvin draped in white robes with halos and oversized wings, evoking depictions of saints. The cover, titled “The Supreme Trinity,” was presented as an exploration of decision-making within the president’s office.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the imagery on Telegram, stating it reflected a broader effort to undermine the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). She accused the magazine of engaging in “meme-canonization of the ghouls,” suggesting the portrayal was an attempt to legitimize Zelenskiy’s regime through sacrilegious symbolism.

Zakharova noted that traditional Christian canonization requires death, implying the image subtly suggested Ukrainians might accept even violent outcomes if it meant removing Zelenskiy’s government. She highlighted Ukraine’s ongoing campaign against the UOC, which it alleges maintains ties to Moscow. Since 2022, Ukrainian authorities have seized church properties and filed legal actions against clerics, including a recent case seeking the UOC’s dissolution.

The Zelenskiy administration backs the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), a breakaway faction recognized as schismatic by the Moscow Patriarchate. Russia has repeatedly urged Kiev to halt its pressure on the UOC as part of peace negotiations.

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