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Ukraine’s first lady sparks controversy with Vogue cover

<p dir="ltr">Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s First Lady, has sparked backlash after she appeared on a new ‘digital cover’ of <em><a href="http://v" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a></em> with her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, amid the ongoing war with Russia.</p> <p dir="ltr">The accompanying article, titled ‘Portrait of Bravery’, was created in collaboration between <em>Ukrainian Vogue</em> and the <em>Conde Nast Vogues</em>, featuring moody, graceful portraits of the First Lady taken by Annie Leibovitz, including one where she stands next to female soldiers at Antonov Airport.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unlike her 2019 debut on the magazine’s cover, where she was styled in brands such as Prada, Lemaire and Jimmy Choo, this year’s feature sees her exclusively wear Ukrainian designers and a focus on the pain and trauma her country is currently experiencing.</p> <p dir="ltr">With <em>Vogue</em>’s historical connections to elitism, wealth and frivolity, the sombre tone and focus on the realities of war in Ms Zelenska’s latest feature has prompted backlash from some who have labelled it as tasteless.</p> <p dir="ltr">“While Ukraine is going through hell, Vogue is doing a photoshoot for the President &amp; his wife,” columnist Amrita Bhinder wrote on <a href="https://twitter.com/amritabhinder/status/1552215355288088577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-60e80651-7fff-c53c-865e-54e32704ef34"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">US Republican <a href="https://twitter.com/MayraFlores2022/status/1552267933501489152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayra Flores</a>, a representative from Texas, was among a number of conservatives who jumped on the opportunity to attack the Biden administration for supporting Ukraine financially, insinuating it was funding vanity, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/28/style/olena-zelenska-vogue.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a></em>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">wartime vogue photo shoots. very serious. let’s keep sending ukraine weekly billion dollar aid packages to protect “democracy.” don’t question it. <a href="https://t.co/MXVaW16K0y">pic.twitter.com/MXVaW16K0y</a></p> <p>— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) <a href="https://twitter.com/loganclarkhall/status/1552009719509925888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Others defended Ms Zelenska, arguing the photoshoot was a symbol for national pride and a means of raising awareness of the struggles facing Ukraine to audiences that might otherwise not be reached.</p> <p dir="ltr">Supporters included Lesia Vasylenko, a Ukrainian MP, who tweeted that Ms Zelenska’s interview with <em>Vogue </em>was “about duty, keeping sane and staying together”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s about personal strength. It’s about what being Ukrainian is really like,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-723af7bd-7fff-f677-2ce9-31586b385290"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s about what #Ukraine needs.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Zelensky <a href="https://twitter.com/voguemagazine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@voguemagazine</a> interview is a true story of one family, of a couple who woke up in war 150 days ago. It’s about duty, keeping sane and staying together. It’s about personal strength. It’s about what being Ukrainian is really like. It’s about what <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> needs <a href="https://t.co/lr2rgx4UOd">pic.twitter.com/lr2rgx4UOd</a></p> <p>— Lesia Vasylenko (@lesiavasylenko) <a href="https://twitter.com/lesiavasylenko/status/1552402194707746817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">When asked about why she decided to appear on Vogue, Ms Zelenska told the <em><a href="https://twitter.com/LucyHockingsBBC/status/1552711694790557702" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em> it was about speaking to people directly.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Millions read <em>Vogue</em>, and to be able to speak to them direct, that was my duty,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I believe it is more important to do something and be criticised for it than to do nothing.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f3fbcc95-7fff-0e5f-a214-6f786a7e370d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: British Vogue (Instagram)</em></p>

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Anthony Albanese makes historic visit to war-torn Ukraine

<p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, and pledged to bolster Australia's military aid to the war-torn country. </p> <p>After visiting liberated regions of Kyiv where residential apartments were bombed, the Prime Minister said Australia stood ready to support the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.</p> <p>“This is a war crime,” Mr Albanese said.</p> <p>“Here we have what’s clearly a residential building. Another one just behind it, brutally assaulted.”</p> <p>“These are homes and these are livelihoods and indeed lives that have been lost here in this town,” Mr Albanese said.</p> <p>“And the fact that you had such a significant force – you can see the use of tanks, missiles, heavy artillery being used in a civilian area — it’s just devastating.”</p> <p>Mr Albanese, who visited amid tight security and a media blackout among travelling Australian media for security reasons, also spoke at a press conference alongside Zelensky as the Prime Minister promised to provide Ukraine with 14 more armoured personnel carriers, 20 more Bushmaster vehicles and drones.</p> <p>This extra $100 million in aid is and increase to the $285 million in military assistance, which includes 40 Bushmasters, and $60 million in humanitarian assistance previously announced by the Morrison government.</p> <p>“Australia stands ready to continue to support the Government and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes for Ukraine to emerge victorious in defence of your national sovereignty and your homeland,” Mr Albanese told Mr Zelensky.</p> <p>“Because you are fighting for the international rule of law, you are fighting for international rules in which we conduct our activity to be respected and to occur in an orderly way.”</p> <p>Mr Zelensky welcomed the pledge of additional military support.</p> <p>“I am pleased to welcome Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese to Kyiv. This is the first visit of the Australian Prime Minister to our capital in the history of our state relations. We appreciate and are grateful for your presence here with us at this time – the war of Russia against the Ukrainian people,” he said</p> <p>Mr Albanese had been planning the trip to Ukraine for some time, as the Ukrainian government offered a formal invitation. </p> <p>Albanese said, “One of the reasons why Australia has been invited to NATO is that Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to give support to Ukraine in its defence of its national sovereignty against Russia’s illegal, immoral invasion, and we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Ukraine president appears at Grammy's from bunker

<p dir="ltr">Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Grammy’s from his bunker as war continues to tear into his country.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a pre-recorded video from his bunker in Kyiv, Zelensky delivered a powerful speech asking the audience and viewers to “support us in any way you can” as fighting continues between Ukraine and Russia. </p> <p dir="ltr">"The war. What's more opposite than music,” President Zelensky began.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The silence of ruined cities and killed people. Our children drew swooping rockets, not shooting stars.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Over 400 children have been injured and 153 children died. And we will never see them drawing."</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our parents are happy to wake up in the morning. In bomb shelters, but alive. Our loved ones don’t know if we will be together again. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The war doesn’t let us choose who survives and who stays in eternal silence.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can’t hear them. But the music will break through anyway.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He urged and encouraged musicians and viewers of the Grammy to “fill the silence with your music!”</p> <p dir="ltr">“We defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. On our land, we are fighting Russia which brings horrible silence with its bombs. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The dead silence. Fill the silence with your music! Fill it today to tell our story. Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Support us in any way you can. Any — but not silence. And then peace will come. </p> <p dir="ltr">“To all our cities the war is destroying. Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Mariupol and others. They are legends already. But I have a dream of them living. And free. Free like you on the Grammy stage.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Zelensky’s speech served as an introduction to John Legend’s live performance, which then featured a backdrop of photos from war-torn Ukraine. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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"Each of us is a warrior": Prisoners released to join fight against Russia

<p dir="ltr">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that imprisoned Ukrainian citizens with “real combat experience” will be released to join the fight against Russia.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Zelensky made the “morally difficult” announcement during an address on Monday (local time), as peace talks between Ukraine and Russia continue.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released from custody and will be able to compensate for their guilt in their hottest spots,” he <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-prisoners-released-to-fight-russia-peace-talks-fail-231759682.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a video posted to Telegram.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All sanctions against some individuals who participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation will be lifted. The key thing now is defence.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The president urged Ukrainians to help protect their country and said Russian troops were fighting “against all living beings”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I went to the presidency, I said that each of us is the president. Because we are all responsible for our country,” Mr Zelensky said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1901643b-7fff-3e34-f417-b25df38f94dc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“For our beautiful Ukraine. And now it has happened that each of us is a warrior. And I am sure that each of us will win.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CahvwH7Atdj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CahvwH7Atdj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Володимир Зеленський (@zelenskiy_official)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Mr Zelensky also called on Russian soldiers to flee and save themselves.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t trust your commanders, don’t trust your propagandists. Just save your lives,” he urged.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also used the address to encourage foreign volunteers wanting to join the fight to sign up for an “international brigade” at Ukrainian embassies.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison discouraged Ukrainians in Australia from flying over to fight in the conflict.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At this time, the legality of such actions are uncertain under Australian law,” Mr Morrison said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Zelensky’s address comes as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to meet unexpected resistance.</p> <p dir="ltr">The President signed a letter formally requesting immediate membership of the European Union, though it could take years for it to become an actuality.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, videos have emerged on social media of residential areas in Kharkiv being shelled.</p> <p dir="ltr">Authorities said at least seven people had been killed and dozens were injured.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-877388f3-7fff-801b-6769-655edb600d85"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @zelensky_official (Instagram)</em></p>

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