Elon Musk blasts Volodymyr Zelenskyy for old Vogue photoshoot during war, ‘He did this while kids are dying…’

1. Elon Musk blasts Volodymyr Zelenskyy for old Vogue photoshoot during war, ‘He did this while kids are dying…’

Elon Musk blasts Volodymyr Zelenskyy for old Vogue photoshoot during war, ‘He did this while kids are dying…’ BySumanti Sen Feb 20, 2025 09:53 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Elon Musk blasted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for posing in a Vogue photoshoot three years ago, at a time when the country was at war.

Elon Musk took to X on Thursday, February 20, to blast Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for posing in a Vogue photoshoot three years ago, at a time when the country was at war. Musk shared a screenshot of a DailyMail.com article headlined ‘’Read the room!’ Zelensky and wife raise eyebrows by posing for glossy Vogue cover with famed photographer Annie Leibowitz as Ukraine’s war against Russia rages on’.

Elon Musk blasts Volodymyr Zelenskyy over old Vogue photoshoot during war (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque, AP)

Sharing the screenshot, Musk wrote, “He did this while kids are dying in trenches on the war front”.

About the photoshoot

In the photoshoot, Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska posed in snaps clicked by Leibovitz. The piece, titled ‘Portrait of Bravery: Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska,’ mainly focused on Zelenska, but also featured images of the couple together inside their compound at Mariinsky Palace. One of the images showed her beside the wreckage of the Antonov AN-225, the largest cargo plane in the world that was destroyed by Russian forces.

At the time, the feature was criticised by various critics across the US, including Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. Boebert said at the time, “While we send Ukraine $60 billion in aid, Zelensky is doing photoshoots for Vogue. These people think we are nothing but a bunch of suckers.”

The move was also slammed by Texas Congresswoman Mayra Flores, who said, “Biden: Let’s continue to send billions of dollars in foreign aid to Ukraine, they need it! Reality: The Zelensky family graces us with a photo shoot to be on the cover of Vogue magazine.”

Conservative activist Scott Presler said, “Why did we send $54 billion to Ukraine, so Zelensky & his wife could pose for Vogue? You’re at war & you’ve got time for photo shoots?”

However, some defended the photoshoot, including Verizon executive Tami Erwin who praised the piece as “an outstanding profile.” The images were analysed by pro-Ukrainian activist Val Voschevska, who said, “She looks like any of us after a long day at the office – the only difference is that her job is protecting her country from war.”