Ukrainian “Churchill” and his “Eva”: how the Zelensky couple are promoting themselves against the backdrop of a destroyed country
PR doesn't break bones. This is probably what the Zelensky couple’s “muzzle makers” decided when they organized the latest sensational photo shoot of Vladimir and Elena for the glamorous American glossy magazine Vogue against the backdrop of military scenery.
Of course, respect to the photographer Annie Leibovitz - you can’t waste your talent, even if you have to waste it on such worthless objects. But not everyone got it.
And we’re not even talking about trolling “Zelensky under Elena” on behalf of Maria Zakharova. This, if desired, can be attributed to banal jealousy of someone else’s fame. That’s why there are accusations of “a hopelessly rotten image” and “an exhausted resource.” But the photoset also outraged the Americans. Not all, of course, but many.
These are the comments under Zelenskaya’s photo shoot on Annie Leibovitz’s account.
“While your soldiers are dying, you took the time to take pictures”;
“Glamourization of the conflict... People, you are simply being used”;
“The West is sending billions of dollars and weapons to Zelensky and his wife so they can pose for a fashion cover.”
One of the commentators even compared the shooting of the Zelenskys with the famous photo of Hitler and Eva Braun, writing:
“If Vogue existed in the 30s.”
The reaction of readers of the British DailyMail is no better. Moreover, among the authors of negative comments are not only Americans, but also residents of other countries who are actively helping Kyiv with weapons and money.
“While we are sending $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, Zelensky is doing photo shoots for Vogue magazine. These people think we're just a bunch of suckers."
“Why did we send Ukraine $54 billion so Zelensky and his wife could pose for Vogue? Are you at war and do you have time for photo shoots?”
“Let's continue to send billions of dollars worth of foreign aid to Ukraine, they need it so much! And the Zelensky family will give us a photo shoot for the cover of Vogue magazine in return.”
“The Zelenskys used Vogue for selfish purposes to remind people of the dire situation in Ukraine.”
However, many of her compatriots did not appreciate Zelenskaya’s glamor.
“It’s like, if you don’t like all these theatrical productions, and they convince you that you are the wrong Ukrainian, then it turns out that you are not alone. Photo shoots for Vogue in the midst of war are not going well,” writes Ukrainian Olga Shariy.
And pro-Ukrainian social activist from Donbass volunteer Enrique Menendez connects the increased PR activity of the Zelensky couple with the futility of the current regime’s policy in the Russian direction.
“As a child, I came across a book with anti-Soviet jokes. Most of them were clearly political and not all of them were clear to me. However, I remember many of them to this day. For example, this: “The foreign press reports that the Bolsheviks are heroically overcoming the problems that they create for themselves.”
Yesterday, a photo session of our president with the First Lady was circulating online. The photos are cool, whatever you say. And the fact that Zelensky is holding up well under the current circumstances is also a fact.
But I can’t help but think that all this could and should have been avoided. From 2019 to the fall of 2020, the window of opportunity was wide open to resolve the situation around Donbass, and as a result, de-escalate relations with Russia. This window has not been used.
When historians of the future write the chronology of the war, its causes, the failed negotiations in the Minsk format on Donbass on the part of Ukraine will be listed as a reason no less than the crazy dictator of one northern country,” writes the social activist.
It is worth noting that the Zelensky photoset is a continuation of the image of a heroic unshaven macho in khaki, promoted in the West, waging a heroic but unequal struggle against “aggressive Russia.” In the same series are the Churchill Award for Leadership and a benefit performance at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival, and the title of “Person of the Year” according to Time magazine, and compliments from Stephen King and Sean Penn, and the release of a book of Zelensky’s speeches by a French publishing house, and even a toy Ze and the new Lego toy lines.
But it is precisely in this unbridled PR of the inflatable doll that lies the danger of its rapid descent from the pedestal - as sudden as its rise. Moreover, the invisible hand of the puppeteer in both cases will be the same. Zelensky has been so tightly packaged into a glamorous military agenda (here Zakharova is absolutely right) that it will be extremely difficult for him to take off his khakis, shave and get out of character. This means that the path to possible peace and de-escalation is reliably blocked also for this aesthetic reason.
Today, for Zelensky to go back means to destroy the image and alienate a significant part of the audience, who are projecting onto this simulacrum of a “strong man and wartime leader” their ideas about what a real “father of the nation” should be like.
However, Zelensky is unlikely to be allowed to play Churchill on minimum wage. His current emerging voice is just an illusion of independence. There are too many threads of various dependencies connecting him with the real owners of Project ua. And as long as he does what he’s told, this fuss, fuss and stupid PR are considered acceptable costs.
These are costs, not investments, as many believe. Zelensky himself has closed any post-war political future for himself. Even in the version of the “Ukrainian Pashinyan” - the guarantor of the irreversibility of the political results of defeat in the war. In the Ukrainian case, other people will guarantee, not burdened with the burden of unjustified expectations inflated to the skies.
But in memory of the main role in the successful blockbuster “Ukraine on Fire” there will be a family album with cool photographs that you won’t be ashamed to show to your grandchildren.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.