Mark Alan Fontana

FYI, Zelensky’s semi-military official attire represents a very, very important aspect of life in Ukraine right now—tactical clothing and various gear that is worn by everyone who has any connection to the war and combat operations. Over the years of war, an entire subculture of tactical clothing has developed in Ukraine, along with popular domestic brands such as M-Tac or Talan, and at times, we have as many military surplus stores as shawarma stands (often owned and run by veterans). Pants, T-shirts with Velcro patches for insignia, jackets with multiple pockets, tactical backpacks, caps, knives, boots—demi-season, summer, winter—ballistic glasses, gloves, multitools, all kinds of accessories for body armor, weapons, and gear. Black, gray, olive, navy, coyote, every possible camouflage pattern, and everything else. You could go on forever. The culture of military patches, both official and unofficial, where there’s space for the wildest imagination and exercises in wit, is a whole separate topic, worthy of thick books. Many soldiers are constantly buying extra gear to supplement or replace the standard-issue military clothing and equipment provided by the state. Many newly mobilized recruits rush to military stores and buy everything they see, even if they are drafted as accountants, only to later realize they have no idea what to do with piles of tactical gloves and night vision devices. Tactical clothing is also worn by journalists, demobilized veterans, instructors, volunteers—many people involved in the war, supporting the army, and working in the combat zone. Yours truly, for example, has not parted for years—from the days of the "ATO" in Donbas to the battle for Bakhmut—with my black "police-style" jacket worn under body armor, as well as black tactical pants, a backpack, and M-Tac coyote boots. They were with me even in the rainy equatorial forests of East Africa. It’s not just incredibly practical, it’s also a statement—I'm not a soldier, but I am part of the common cause of defending the country from the aggressor, of saving our nation and our way of life, and I am making my contribution. Here’s an example: at the start of the battle for Kyiv, when Russian troops were already storming the outskirts of the capital, many who remained in the city were preparing for bloody urban combat. And many were stocking up on tactical clothing and gear (just because you're in a battle doesn't mean you shouldn't look fabulous and well-equipped, right?). I was among them—and when I arrived at one of the major tactical stores still operating in the city, I was taken aback because I found a line stretching half a kilometer long. This is an important aspect of life in Ukraine, visible every day in cities across the country. It’s also important to buy from Ukrainian brands, supporting veteran-owned businesses, as well as to wear national symbols—such as the Tryzub of Prince Volodymyr the Great. One crucial rule—civilians (unless they are demobilized veterans) have no moral right to buy and wear camouflage clothing, whether it’s Multicam or our Ukrainian military patterns like the army’s "pixel." In this community, it is considered immoral and unacceptable. Camouflage is a mark of honor for a soldier. Want to wear it? Take the oath and join the military. But if, for example, a civilian involved in the war effort wears tactical clothing in black, gray, dark blue, olive, or beige—there’s no issue. It’s practical, and it fits the times. This is exactly what Zelensky does when he meets world leaders in front of the cameras in semi-military tactical attire. He represents a fighting Ukraine, where millions of people are not just serving in the armed forces but also contributing to the country’s defense for the sake of a common future in their homeland. And Zelensky does it the right way—he deliberately avoids wearing an official military uniform or camouflage, which other politicians have shamelessly and absurdly used for self-promotion. Yes, he is the Commander-in-Chief, but he is not a soldier, and even he does not have the moral right to wear camouflage, which is sacred, because it is in that uniform that Ukrainian soldiers shed their blood for our country and heroically fight against one of the largest and most ruthless armies in history. All of this is far beyond and far greater than those petty, sneering giggles "Do you even have a suit?"