Gamers think Miss Ukraine’s “Warrior of Light” outfit is a Warhammer cosplay

Eleni Thomas
Miss Ukraine Warhammer header

Miss Ukraine’s recent outfit is getting major attention from the gaming community, with many commenting on how the design resembles many popular gaming franchises such as Warhammer 40k.

During the Miss Universe pageant – which took place in New Orleans – Ukraine’s Viktoria Apanasenko wowed that crowd by unveiling her “Warrior of Light” costume.

Gamers were quick to post the outfit on Reddit, with the comment sections filled with praise and awe at how the costume looks like something straight out of a video game.

One user writing “turns out Saint Celestine manifests in the Ukraine after she makes it out of the warp.” Saint Celestine is a popular character from the Warhammer 40K series. Others chose to compare the Ukrainian’s outfit to the Overwatch franchise.

Another Reddit user joking that the “new mercy skin just dropped” in response to seeing the outfit design.

What Miss Ukraine’s outfit actually symbolizes

And while gamers were quick to point out how Miss Ukraine’s design seems to be inspired by the likes of Warhammer or Overwatch, Apanasenko clothing choice actually holds a much deeper meaning. 

An Instagram post on Miss Ukraine’s page said: “The “Warrior of Light” costume symbolises our nation’s fight against darkness. Like Archangel Michael, who defends Ukraine with a sword, it protects us. Viktoriia has a weapon in her hands, her body is covered in armour, and at the same time, she carries light through the darkness that came to our peaceful lands with the aggressor.”

The post then added: “The monolithic jumpsuit symbolises armour and wraps Victoria like a second skin.The white dress consists of a stylization of a vyshyvanka with puffy sleeves and a skirt that has more than 10 meters of fabric to it. The headwear is decorated with spikelets, which are traditional in Ukraine.

Finally, the explanation goes on to reflect on how “symbolic wings are burned in battle, framed in blue and gold armour in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, and decorated with various mirror ornaments, opened for the decisive battle. The costume was created in Ukraine in four months in extreme conditions, to the sound of sirens, without electricity, and by candlelight.”

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About The Author

Eleni is a Melbourne-based journalist. Having completed her Bachelor's in communication (Journalism) at RMIT University, Eleni is now a Senior Writer for the Dexerto Australia team. A big Nintendo fan (with a Triforce tattoo to prove it) and a lover of the zombie genre, Eleni covers gaming, entertainment as well as TV and movies for the site. She is also passionate about covering Queer and female representation. Contact Eleni at eleni.thomas@dexerto.com