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Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy is the sixth president of Ukraine.

Зеленский
Зеленский

He is a leader who transitioned from a career in entertainment to high-level politics. Born on January 25, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih, he grew up in a Russian-speaking Jewish family. His father, Oleksandr, is a computer scientist and professor. His mother, Rymma, is a retired engineer. Zelenskyy earned a law degree from the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics. Although he studied law, he never practiced it professionally. Instead, he focused on comedy and media production.

Zelenskyy's rise to fame began with comedy competitions called KVN. At age 17, he joined a local team. By 1995, he was a writer and dance director for the team "Zaporizhzhia-Kryvyi Rih-Transit."

In 1997, his team won a major KVN competition. He then co-founded a production group called Kvartal 95. This group was named after his childhood neighborhood. The team eventually moved to Kyiv to found Kvartal 95 Studio in 2003. This studio became a massive production empire in Ukraine.

Kvartal 95 produced many successful television shows and films. One of their most famous formats was "Evening Kvartal," a theater-style comedy show. By 2019, over 85% of Ukrainians reported seeing this show.

KVARTAL 95 Vadim Chuprina
KVARTAL 95 Vadim Chuprina

Zelenskyy also starred in many movies, including the romantic comedy "Love in the Big City." He even provided the Ukrainian voices for characters like Paddington Bear. A major turning point was the TV series "Servant of the People." In this show, Zelenskyy played a fictional Ukrainian president. This role helped him connect with the public before his real political career began.

Zelenskyy's entry into politics was rapid and unexpected. In March 2018, employees of Kvartal 95 formed a political party. The party used the same name as his popular TV series. On December 31, 2018, Zelenskyy announced his candidacy for president.

Debates of Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky (2019-04-19) 02
Debates of Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky (2019-04-19) 02

He ran as a political outsider. He campaigned against the political establishment and promised to fight corruption. He also promised to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. In the 2019 election, he defeated Petro Poroshenko in a massive landslide. This victory was the largest in the history of Ukrainian presidential elections.

As president, Zelenskyy focused on several domestic goals. He promoted e-government and worked to unite Russian-speaking and Ukrainian-speaking citizens. His administration also managed the COVID-19 pandemic and an economic recession. He oversaw the lifting of legal immunity for members of the Verkhovna Rada, which is the Ukrainian parliament. In May 2021, a Rating Group poll showed he had the highest trust rating of any Ukrainian president. He also attempted to engage in dialogue with Russian president Vladimir Putin to find peace.

In February 2022, the situation changed significantly. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Зеленський відвідав поранених воїнів АТО в Одесі (2016, 2)
Зеленський відвідав поранених воїнів АТО в Одесі (2016, 2)

During the buildup, Zelenskyy asked NATO for security guarantees. When the invasion began, he refused international offers to evacuate the capital, Kyiv. He declared martial law and ordered a general mobilization of the armed forces. This leadership earned him the title of "Time Person of the Year" for 2022. He has since frequently visited the front lines to meet with soldiers.

Zelenskyy's presidency is defined by the ongoing conflict.

His term was originally supposed to end in May 2024. However, the invasion and martial law prevented a scheduled election. He is expected to remain in office for the duration of the war. This makes him the second-longest serving president in Ukraine, following Leonid Kuchma. He continues to use social media, specifically Instagram, to communicate with the world and his citizens.

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🖼️ Images & Media (46)
File:Зеленский.jpg
Зеленский.jpg
File:Zelenskyy and Koshovy Teletriumph.jpg
Zelenskyy and Koshovy Teletriumph.jpg
File:KVARTAL 95 Vadim Chuprina.jpg
KVARTAL 95 Vadim Chuprina.jpg
File:Зеленський відвідав поранених воїнів АТО в Одесі (2016, 2).jpg
Зеленський відвідав поранених воїнів АТО...
File:Debates of Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky (2019-04-19) 02.jpg
Debates of Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir...
File:Official visit to Germany.jpg
Official visit to Germany.jpg
File:Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.jpg
Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.jpg
File:Lukashenko and Zelenskyi (Oct 2019).jpg
Lukashenko and Zelenskyi (Oct 2019).jpg
File:Volodymyr Zelensky leaving 10 Downing Street (2020-10-08) 03.jpg
Volodymyr Zelensky leaving 10 Downing...
File:Робочий візит Президента України до Турецької Республіки 05.jpg
Робочий візит Президента України до...
File:Meeting of Volodymyr Zelensky and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (15-02-2021).jpg
Meeting of Volodymyr Zelensky and...
File:Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ilham Aliyev (2019-12-17) 19.jpg
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ilham Aliyev...

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