Is it true that the photograph of Zaluzhny in Vogue repeats the photograph of Eisenhower before the US presidential election?

In July 2025, Russian-language media distributed two similar photographs, allegedly taken more than 70 years apart. We have checked the correctness of such publications.

It is alleged that one of the photographs from the photo shoot of the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and now the Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, Valery Zaluzhny for the recent issue of Vogue magazine is very similar to the photograph taken in 1952 of the 34th US President Dwight Eisenhower. Moreover, this is supposedly not a coincidence, but a conscious reference - before becoming head of state, Eisenhower had a successful military career.

This was reported by some media (for example, the newspaper "Sight"), as well as numerous Telegram channels, including "Uncle Slava"(155,000 views at the time of writing this analysis), Open Ukraine (149,000), "Volynets Alexey"(134,000), "Militarist" (99,000) and "Sheikh Tamir"(95,000).

In July Zaluzhny took part in photo sessions for the Ukrainian version of Vogue magazine as part of its special project Leaders 2025. The publication also published column, in which Zaluzhny discusses the roots of identity, the power of unity and the main historical lessons for Ukrainians. In one of the photographs, which the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on the morning of July 29 Facebook, he stands in a black suit, leaning against a white door.

This particular photograph is said to replicate a portrait of Eisenhower taken in the early 1950s. However, “Verified” did not find any photographs of the 34th President of the United States that were even slightly similar to the photo with Zaluzhny. If you compare the two images, it is easy to notice that they are almost identical: the same location, the same figure - only the head is different.

In the Russian-language segment of the Internet, two photographs, along with an ironic description, began spread on the morning of July 30th. However, even the night before they were actively published Ukrainian Telegram channels.

The earliest post with a supposed photo of Eisenhower and a corresponding description found by "Verified" was posted on Facebook on the page of Ukrainian political strategist Alexey Golobutsky on July 29 at 17:50 Moscow time. There was a watermark of the author in the corner of the photo.

In the comments, Golobutsky’s subscribers began to “recognize” Zaluzhny’s recent photo. The next morning, as a collage of two images spread far beyond his Facebook profile, the political strategist wrote: “I saw a bunch of reposts of this meme of mine and, not surprisingly, often with my signature erased. I'm already used to this. But I noticed that many did not understand my joke. This is not a real photo of US President Eisenhower from 1952. This is a recent photo of Zaluzhny from Vogue that I have modified...”

Indeed, the author, judging by his feed, likes to publish humorous pictures, sometimes providing them with captions with the same design.

Thus, Zaluzhny’s photo does not repeat a similar photo of Eisenhower. This edited photo was a joke, but it turned out to be taken seriously by many Ukrainian, and subsequently Russian media and bloggers - apparently, resonated with propaganda thesis that Western countries are promoting Zaluzhny to the post of President of Ukraine. 

Cover photo: social networks

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on topic:

1. Meduza. Vogue published a column by Valery Zaluzhny and his photo shoot. The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces discusses how Ukraine defends Europe. In Ukraine, the pictures became memes. Russian propaganda examined the general's buttons.
2. Did the BBC report that Zaluzhny received $53 million for giving up his political ambitions?
3. Is it true that the BBC named Zaluzhny as the next president of Ukraine?