Goddess Kali illustration row: Russia accuses Ukraine of disrespecting Indian deity; says Kyiv regime 'doesn't care about any beliefs'

Russia has accused Ukraine of mocking the goddess Kali and insulting Hindus by depicting the goddess in Marilyn Monroe’s signature pose while comparing the act to Nazism.

Controversy over Goddess Kali photo

The Ukrainian defence ministry recently tweeted an image of the Hindu goddess Kali above a blast of smoke, causing online outrage and accusations of insensitivity towards Indian culture.

The image, created by Ukrainian artist Maksym Palenko, depicted the blast in a unique and offensive blend of the famous American actress Marilyn Monroe in her “flying skirt” pose with the face and detailing resembling Hindu Goddess Kali, who is considered the goddess of ultimate power.

Russia's criticism

Dmitry Polyanskiy, the first deputy permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations, criticized Ukraine's actions, accusing the Kyiv regime of not caring about any beliefs, be they Hindu, Muslim, or Christian Orthodox.

He tweeted, “Kiev regime doesn’t care about any beliefs, be it Hindu, Muslim, or Christian Orthodox. Its soldiers burn Koran, mock Kali, destroy Orthodox sacred places. The only ideology they worship is Nazism – Nationalist slogan says Ukraine is above everything/über alles!”

Indian Twitter users' response

The controversy sparked outrage among Indian Twitter users, with many accusing the Ukrainian defence ministry of hurting the sentiments of Indians and demanding external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar’s intervention. The tweet was also criticized as “Hinduphobic.”

Ukraine's response

Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova added that Ukraine “regrets” the defence ministry’s depiction of Goddess Kali in a “distorted manner” and that the depiction had been removed. She also tweeted that Ukraine is determined to further increase cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and friendship.

Dzhaparova recently visited India, the first visit by a Ukrainian minister to India since the start of the Ukraine war in February last year. During her visit, she held talks with MoS (MEA) Meenakashi Lekhi.