Why A Russian Supermodel's Potato Salad Caused A Major Controversy

Although we don't exactly know the mysterious origins of potato salad, this mystery doesn't take away anything from the dish's wonderful taste. The standard potato salad recipe calls for potatoes (duh), mustard, red onion, mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper, and any additional herbs you'd like to add.

That being said, there are countless ways to whip up a potato salad. Per Bon Appétit, you can make a grilled potato salad with chiles and basil, a sour cream and onion potato salad (obviously inspired by the best chip flavor), a smashed potato salad, a pesto potato salad, or even a potatoes-with-bacon-and-eggs salad. One word for you: yum.

Needless to say, potato salad is extremely versatile and a popular dish for summer meals. But despite its booming popularity, one potato salad recently caused quite the controversy on Instagram. Don't worry, though, it wasn't actually the potato salad that got people riled up –- it was the caption (via New York Post). 

Russian supermodel Irina Shayk faced backlash on Instagram last week after she posted a seemingly innocuous picture of potato salad on her story. However, her followers quickly noticed that she had captioned the photo, "Russianzz on [Wednesday]."

According to New York Post, Shayk's use of the Z in her spelling could very well be a reference to the Z marking Russian military vehicles — the very same military vehicles that invaded Ukraine. Buzzfeed says the Z has also been used as a symbol for rallies in support of Putin's actions against Ukraine, thus leading many to interpret it as a pro-war emblem.

A few days after her potato salad post, Shayk shared another Instagram story, this one reading, "Sometimes a salad is just a salad. I promise: no coded messages or political commentary here. Wishing everyone love" (via Daily Mail). Let's just say that's one mistake you don't want to make with your potato salad.