TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A former Miss Ukraine gained online attention recently for her posts against the Russian invasion of her homeland.
Anastasiia Lena, who represented Ukraine in 2015’s Miss Grand International beauty contest, went viral after a post of her holding an airsoft rifle. The post was made two days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24
Some reports stated she appeared to have joined the resistance forces, but Lenna has not made a statement in her posts officially saying she is entering combat. Lenna said Monday that her posts were meant to spread information about the invasion of her homeland.
“I am not a military, just a woman, just normal human,” she said.
Lenna has repeatedly called for foreign support of her homeland, even encouraging foreign nationals to speak with their embassies about fighting alongside Ukraine in one post.
“The invaders will die on our Ukrainian lands! Wait and see!” she said in a post showing her firing a rifle on a gun range.
“On February 24, Russian federation step on our lands and begin to kill civil people, women, children,” Lena said in another post. “Ukrainian people have no guilt. (None) of us have any guilt. We are on our lands!”
She also asked for NATO to secure the airspace above Ukraine against Russian attacks, joining the voices asking for NATO to intervene in Ukraine and keep the peace.
The Associated Press reported Monday that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an application to formally join the European Union amid the peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian ambassadors. The process to join the EU would take many years, however, and requires unanimous approval.
