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As Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky wins hearts, here are 10 things to know about the former actor
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his comedy show Servant of the People played the role of a teacher who accidentally becomes Ukraine's President after his rant goes viral.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has won praise for standing his ground and for not fleeing the country in the face of the Russian invasion. While he is being contrasted with former Afghanist president Ashraf Ghani who fled Kabul when the Taliban captured it, Zelensky has also rejected the offer of the United States to evacuate the country. "I need ammunition, not a ride," the president said.
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Here are 10 things to know about Zelensky
1. Zelensky is a Russian-speaking Jewish who was known for his comedy TV show.
2. His grandfather served in the Red Army during World War II. Remembering this, he recently said, "You are told we are Nazis, but how can a people support Nazis that gave more than 8 million lives for the victory over Nazism? How can I be a Nazi? Tell my grandpa, who went through the whole war in the infantry of the Soviet army and died as a colonel in independent Ukraine."
3. Zelensky had a law degree but he never worked in that field.
4. Zelensky is an accidental president and in the 2019 election, he was the most unlikely candidate. But after he announced his entry into the fray, Zelensky was racing ahead in the opinion poll.
5. Before his entry into politics, Zelensky was an actor, a comedian. He also had a production company. His famous TV show Servant of the People featured Zelensky where he played the role of a school teacher who becomes Ukraine's president after his rant goes viral.
6. Zelensky won the 2019 elections with 73% of the vote.
7. Volodymyr Zelensky has been accused of corruption and was named in Pandora Papers. He and his production company have been linked to offshore shell companies.
8. In his presidential campaign, Zelensky had promised to end the conflict with Russia.
9. When Zelensky became the president, many called him a Ukrainian Donald Trump because of both of their link to the entertainment industry.
10. Married to Olena Zelenska since 2003, Zelensky has a son and a daughter.
Zelensky made regular public appearances when the crisis was building up. After Russia attacked Ukraine, he addressed the Ukrainians and communicated with the world through social media. On Saturday, he released a selfie-style video amid sounds of explosions where he said he is in Kyiv and will remain so. "Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this," he said.
