Ukraine sparks outrage in India by posting image of Hindu goddess looking like Marilyn Monroe

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has sparked outrage in India after posting an image on social media of Marilyn Monroe appearing as the Hindu goddess Kali.

The post showed an image of the 1950s Hollywood icon superimposed on a mushroom cloud from an explosion. The image depicts Monroe as the sacred Hindu goddess Kali, the goddess of destruction.

The giant cloud resembles a photo of Monroe taken while filming the 1954 movie The Seven Year Itch, where her white dress famously billowed after a gust of wind.

In the artwork posted Sunday by the Ukrainian defense ministry, Monroe was recognizable as the sacred Hindu goddess, appearing with blue kin, a long and pointed tongue and a wreath of skulls adorning her neck.

The Defense Ministry has since apologized and the post sparked severe disapproval, especially in India, where the vast majority of the population identifies as Hindu.

The image is from the 1954 movie The Seven Year Itch, in which Marilyn Monroe’s white dress famously billowed after a gust of wind

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense posted the image on Twitter on April 30 with the caption “work of art.”

It is believed that the image of the mushroom cloud was the result of an attack in Kiev on Russian troops.

Indian civil servant Kanchan Gupta, a senior adviser to India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, was among many who found the image offensive.

Gupta tweeted: “Recently Ukraine [Deputy] Foreign Minister was in Delhi asking for support from India. Behind that fake is the real face of the Ukrainian government. The Indian goddess Ma Kali is caricatured on a propaganda poster.

“This is an attack on Hindu sentiment around the world.”

After the image and tweet were removed from the account, Emine Dzheppar, Ukraine’s first deputy foreign minister, apologized and said the defense ministry “regretted” the post.

“We regret that we depicted the Hindu Goddess Kali in a distorted manner. Ukraine and its people respect the unique Indian culture and appreciate support.

The image has already been deleted. Ukraine is determined to further intensify cooperation in a spirit of mutual respect and friendship.”

In the artwork posted Sunday by the Ukrainian defense ministry, Monroe was recognizable as the sacred Hindu goddess, appearing with blue kin, a long and pointed tongue and a wreath of skulls adorning her neck.

It is believed that the image of the mushroom cloud was the result of an attack in Kiev on Russian troops

Last month, Dzheppar traveled with Ukrainian officials to meet with representatives of the Indian government, the first such meeting between the two sides since the invasion.

India has claimed to take a neutral stance on the ongoing war. The country’s government has neither expressed support for Ukraine nor criticized Russia and Vladimir Putin for their actions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met senior officials from both countries since the outbreak of the conflict and has spoken with Putin himself.