I’m sure everyone is aware of the geopolitical war happening between Russia and Ukraine right now.
While most people are familiar with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, there is also another key figure coming head-to-head with him and he is none other than Ukraine’s current president – Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Without further ado, here are 10 facts about the comedian-turned president.
Multi-cultural Background
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was born on 25 January 1978 to Jewish parents in the city of Kryvyi Rih. For context, his birthplace was in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, meaning it was pro-Russian.
He grew up as a native Russian speaker but later acquired fluency in both Ukrainian and English.
His Jewish heritage also makes him Ukraine’s first Jewish president. This comes as a milestone for the country with a long history of persecuting Judaism.
Political Newcomer
Despite his current influential position, the 44-year-old president did not have any history in politics prior to being elected.
In 2000, Zelenskyy graduated from Kyiv National Economic University, with a law degree. However, he did not pursue a legal career afterwards.
So now you might be wondering, what was he doing all those years prior to becoming president?
Big Name in Entertainment
Well, believe it or not, Zelenskyy was actually working in the entertainment industry as an actor, producer and comedian.
In 1997, his performance group, Kvartal 95, appeared in a popular improvisational comedy competition that later made them regulars on the program.
In fact, during one of his performances, Zelenskyy even played the piano with his male genitals for five minutes. Yes, you didn’t read that wrongly.
A few years later, Zelenskyy cofounded Studio Kvartal 95, a TV production company that would become one of Ukraine’s most successful and prolific entertainment studios.
Throughout his time in the show business, Zelenskyy produced 10 feature length movies and won more than 30 awards of the National Television Award of Ukraine Teletriumph.
He is also a prize-winner of numerous international film festivals and media forums.
Servant of the People
However, it wasn’t until his performance in the political satire Servant of the People, that Zelenskyy’s road to presidency started being paved.
In the drama, he plays Vasyl Holoborodko, a teacher who makes an expletive-laden rant about corruption that goes viral on social media and leads to his election as president.
The show was a massive hit and became the turning point of Zelenskyy’s life.
He later gave his political party the same name as the show, crafting an image as an “anti-corruption crusader” on television as well as in politics.
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Tough Road to Presidency
Unlike his character’s overnight shot to presidency, Zelenskyy faced obstacles in his journey.
His first opponent was multi-billionaire and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko who warned that Zelenskyy was inexperienced and “could be quickly returned to Russia’s orbit of influence”.
Regardless, Zelenskyy defeated Poroshenko by winning a record of more than 73 per cent of votes. He was then elected as the next Ukrainian President on 21 April 2019.
Fear over Becoming ‘Puppet President’
In his entertainment past, Zelenskyy had also produced shows for a network owned by controversial billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky who is suspected of money laundering and fraud.
Kolomoisky later backed Zelenskyy’s presidential bid which led people to be concerned over him becoming a puppet president.
However, he skilfully doused the flames of worry by refusing to allow the re-privatisation of PrivatBank, which was owned by Kolomoisky before it was nationalised.
Caught Up in Trump’s Scandal
A few months into his presidency, Zelenskyy was thrown into an international scandal that first thrust him into the global spotlight.
A whistle-blower called for the investigation of then US President Donald Trump. The scandal involved an infamous phone call revealing that Donald Trump had blackmailed Zelenskyy into investigating an alleged wrongdoing of his then presidential rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Trump’s alleged withholding of a significant military aid package to Ukraine later led to his impeachment.
Capable Leader
Despite being branded as a ‘Ukrainian Trump’ because of their similar backgrounds in the entertainment industry, Zelenskyy has proven himself as an adept political leader.
On 11 July 2019, Zelenskyy held his first telephone conversation with Putin, during which he urged Putin to enter into talks mediated by European countries. The two leaders also discussed the exchange of prisoners held by both sides.
In October 2019, Zelenskyy announced a preliminary deal struck with the separatists, under which the Ukrainian government would respect elections held in the region in exchange for Russia withdrawing its unmarked troops.
Since 2020, Zelenskyy has also been pushing for membership of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance.
In response to Russian military build-up at Ukraine’s borders late last year, he spoke to US President Joe Biden and urged NATO members to speed up Ukraine’s request for membership.
Not Fleeing Ukraine’s Capital
Currently, Putin has named Zelenskyy as their “number one target” in the ongoing war. However, this has not made Zelenskyy cower in fear and the Ukrainian president continues to remain in the capital, Kyiv, in order to show his support for the country.
He even uploaded a video of himself with a few other Cabinet members in the streets of Kyiv to demolish Russian propaganda that he had fled the capital.
Putin has also named Zelenskyy’s family as their second target. He has been married to Olena Zelenska since 2003 and together they have a son, Kiril, and a daughter, Aleksandra.
Continues to Fight Against Putin
Thrown into the world’s latest war, Zelenskyy remains strong-willed as he seeks to protect his country from the Russian invasion.
No longer donning grey or blue suits, the Ukrainian president now speaks to the public while clad in fatigue.
Speaking to President Biden and other European leaders, he urged increased sanctions on Russia and its president, Putin, and building an “anti-Putin coalition”.
In Zelenskyy’s words, “We are defending our independence, our state, and we will continue to do so.”
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Featured Image: Youtube (Taenbo Druvs) + SOPA Images/Shutterstock.com