Childhood and youth
The future artist and politician was born in the industrial city of Krivoy Rog in January 1978. The zodiac sign Aquarius became the patron symbol of the future comedian. For some time, the Zelensky family lived in Mongolia, despite the fact that the parents are Ukrainians by nationality.
Vladimir’s father worked in the steppe region. A mathematician by training, who later took the post of professor at the department of cybernetics and computer technology, in a distant Asian country he participated in the construction of a mining and processing plant. Mom was involved in engineering technology.
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Vladimir Zelensky as a child with his mother
Little Vova went to a Mongolian school at the age of 8 - in accordance with the laws of the country. The boy spoke Mongolian fluently, but after returning to Krivoy Rog, without practice, he quickly forgot the language.
Returning to Ukraine, Vladimir began attending a theater group and played sports intensively. He was a restless and active child. In early childhood, Zelensky wanted to become a border guard, and later dreamed of studying to be a diplomat or translator.
Elections 2020
The first round of elections in Ukraine took place on March 31, Zelensky became the leader, however, he could not get more than half of the votes, as a result, a second round was held. The voting was held in April 2020. Zelensky and Poroshenko took part; according to the results of processing the results, the first candidate received more than 70%.
Persons who have reached the age of majority can take part in voting; the voter must have legal capacity. At the end of March, polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time, with more than 30 people vying for the presidency. Voter turnout was over 60%.
Humor and creativity
Vladimir Zelensky entered the local branch of the Kyiv University of Economics, choosing a legal specialty. The student’s creative abilities and sense of humor were immediately noticed: Volodya was invited to choreograph dance numbers in the KVN team “Zaporozhye-Krivoy Rog-Transit”. After some time, Zelensky himself began to participate in performances.
Vladimir Zelensky and the KVN team “95 quarter”
In 1997, Vladimir Zelensky, together with several members of the KVN team, created his own team, calling it “95th Quarter”. He not only acted as team captain, but also wrote scripts for most of the numbers. After 2 years, the KVN Major League invited a talented team to join them. Each performance was highly appreciated by the jury, the guys gained popularity among fans of the famous game and began giving concerts throughout the CIS.
In addition to concert and touring activities, Vladimir Zelensky took up writing scripts for corporate events and concerts. The participation of “95th Quarter” in KVN lasted until 2003, but after a conflict with Zelensky and his team stopped participating in the project.
Ukrainian TV channels became interested in the 95th Quarter. “1+1” approached the talented guys with a proposal to make a whole program, which would include the best numbers. So the KVN team was transformed into “Studio Kvartal-95”, the director and owner of which was Vladimir Zelensky.
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Participants in the show “Studio Kvartal-95”
The man is not only a successful comedian and TV presenter, but also a brilliant film actor, who has worked in numerous feature films and musicals. The artist’s cinematic biography began in the early 2000s.
His filmography opened with the comedy project “Reluctant Casanova”; soon the artist played the role of d’Artagnan in the New Year’s musical “The Three Musketeers”. According to the plot of the parody, his faithful friends were presented by artists Anna Ardova, Ruslana Pysanka and Alena Sviridova. Among the comedian’s debut screenplays is the film “Chasing Two Hares.”
In 2005, the program “Evening Quarter” appeared, which was first broadcast by the “1+1” channel, after which the rights to the show were bought by “Inter”. Zelensky acted as the main TV presenter, ideologist and author. The program is quickly becoming a ratings program, and Vladimir’s studio tirelessly releases new projects, not allowing its popularity to fade. Among the most striking are “Fight Club”, “Evening Kyiv” and “Ukraine, Rise Up”.
Vladimir Zelensky and Elena Kravets - “Dangerous Pregnancy”
Zelensky, as one of the brightest stars in show business, is increasingly being invited to become a participant in popular projects and television shows. In 2006, he appeared in the Ukrainian television project “Dancing with the Stars,” where he performed with Alena Shoptenko. As a result, the couple won the TV show, thanks to the audience vote, significantly breaking away from their rivals.
Then Vladimir Zelensky, in a duet with Ruslana Pysanka, becomes the host of the TV show “Office Romance” on the Inter TV channel. In 2010, the artist began starring in the TV show “Make the Comedian Laugh” together with Dmitry Shepelev, and a year later the comedian became co-host of Philip Kirkorov in the Russian TV show “Factor A”.
At this time, the screening of the film “Love in the City” starts on cinema screens, which became Vladimir’s first bright work in full-length film. The romantic comedy stars ex-soloist of the group “VIA Gra” Vera Brezhneva, actors Alexei Chadov, Ville Haapasalo, Anastasia Zadorozhnaya and Svetlana Khodchenkova together with Zelensky.
Trailer for the film “Love in the City”
The film received many positive reviews and was liked by the audience, so after some time the 2nd part was filmed, followed by the 3rd. Then Zelensky starred in the remake of “Office Romance. Our Time" in the role of Novoseltsev, but the film itself was harshly criticized.
From 2010 to 2012, the showman held the position of general producer of Inter, and in 2013 he was invited to host the new music show “I Want V VIA Gro”. Two years later, on the basis of Studio Kvartal-95, the League of Laughter was created, a humorous show in which teams of comedians under the guidance of mentors competed with each other. The program was hosted by Vladimir Zelensky. At one time, Alexey Potapenko, Elena Kravets, Anton Lirnik, Nadezhda Dorofeeva, Vlad Yama and others became judges and trainers of the project.
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Vladimir Zelensky in the show “League of Laughter”
According to information published by Forbes, the profit of Zelensky’s studio amounted to $2 million. In 2012, the entire “Kvartal 95” team took 2nd place in the ranking of the 25 wealthiest media projects and stars of the show - business of Ukraine. The artists were second only to Vladimir Klitschko, but surpassed Ani Lorak, Potap and Nastya, and the VIA Gra group in terms of annual income.
Soon Vladimir appeared in the comedy “Rzhevsky against Napoleon” in the role of the French conqueror, but this picture also caused conflicting reviews. Zelensky later played in the romantic comedy “8 First Dates,” and in 2014, the artist’s filmography was expanded with its sequel “8 New Dates.”
In 2020, Studio Kvartal-95 released for Ukrainian viewers a new film in the genre of political comedy, in which many of the most prominent figures of the Ukrainian political beau monde were subjected to sharp satire. The series about politics was called “Servant of the People”, and Vladimir played the President of Ukraine in it. The audience liked the project so much that a sequel was released in 2016.
Trailer for the series “Servant of the People”
The same year, the sequel “8 Best Dates” was released. As in the first 2 comedy melodramas, in the third Zelensky appeared in the form of a character named Nikita Sokolov. But the main character, who was played by Oksana Akinshina in previous films, was replaced by Vera Brezhneva.
The artist and showman, together with the Kvartal-95 team, became famous for his production projects, many of which turned out to be popular. First of all, this is the family comedy series “Matchmakers”. Zelensky and his studio presented the audience with 6 seasons and the musical “New Year's Matchmakers.”
In 2012, another comedy series was released - “Dads”, in which Russian cinema stars Roman Madyanov, Sergei Gazarov and Tatyana Dogileva starred. Vladimir turned out to be one of the producers of the film, which received a high rating.
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Vladimir Zelensky on the set of the film “I, You, He, She”
In 2020, Vladimir first tried his hand as a director. In collaboration with David Dodson, he took part in the creation of the film “I, You, He, She.” He also became the producer of the project and the leading actor.
The comedian posted his photos in the character on his personal Instagram account. The actor appeared before subscribers with long hair and a mustache. The photographs delighted the comedian's fans. In addition to Zelensky, Evgeny Koshevoy and Nadezhda Dorofeeva appeared on the screen. The wedding comedy premiered at the end of the year.
Vladimir Zelensky
Vladimir Zelensky is a young Ukrainian politician who unexpectedly won the country's presidential elections in 2019. Previously, Zelensky was known in Ukraine and Russia as a showman, film actor, screenwriter, producer, and former captain of the “95th Quarter” team in KVN. The 95th Quarter studio played an important role in the biography of Vladimir Zelensky. From 2010 to 2012, Vladimir was also a member of the board and general producer of the Ukrainian TV channel Inter.
On January 1, 2020, Vladimir Zelensky announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections in Ukraine. It is curious that Vladimir Zelensky first “tested” himself as a presidential candidate in the series “Servant of the People,” which received a good rating in Ukraine. Zelensky himself played in it a simple Ukrainian who, thanks to a video on YouTube, became president and changed the life of the country for the better.
In the first round, Vladimir won a fairly landslide victory, gaining more than 30% of the votes. Having spent the period between the two rounds productively and winning the debate, according to most experts, Zelensky won Poroshenko in the second round, gaining almost 3 times more votes.
On May 20, 2020, Zelensky took office as President of Ukraine and immediately announced the dissolution of the Rada.
Childhood and education of Vladimir Zelensky
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelensky was born on December 23, 1978 in the city of Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk region.
Father - Alexander Semenovich Zelensky - Doctor of Technical Sciences, professor, head of the department of computer science.
Mother - Rimma Vladimirovna Zelenskaya - is a housewife.
By nationality, Vladimir Zelensky is Jewish, which he himself has repeatedly stated on stage, in particular, while still playing in KVN.
His father worked in Mongolia for four years, so Vladimir Zelensky spent his childhood in the city of Erdenet. Returning to Krivoy Rog, Vladimir began studying at gymnasium No. 95 with in-depth study of the English language. In his adolescence, Zelensky dreamed of becoming a diplomat, according to his biography on Wikipedia.
The boy grew up as an active, enthusiastic child. Even in kindergarten, he came up with different games for his peers. During his school years, Vladimir Zelensky went in for sports (weightlifting, basketball, volleyball), loved music (learned to play the piano, guitar), participated in a theater group, and took ballroom dancing. In general, he was a multi-talented child. At school, Vladimir organized a team of graduates and played KVN with a team of teachers - the students won.
In the photo: Vladimir Zelensky in childhood
After school, Vladimir Zelensky entered the Krivoy Rog Economic Institute of the Kyiv National Economic University, where he received a higher education - a law degree. However, he did not have to work in his specialty.
Creative career of Vladimir Zelensky
Creativity completely captured the young man. First, he was invited to the KVN team - “Zaporozhye-Krivoy Rog-Transit” as a choreographer of dance numbers. But very soon Zelensky himself began to participate not only in dances, but also in other performances of the team.
Then he and the guys created the team “95th Quarter”, where Vladimir became the author of many numbers and the captain (1997). Two years later, “95th Quarter” ended up in the KVN Major League. In parallel with their performances, they went on concerts and visited almost all CIS countries. Vladimir Zelensky, in addition to working in a team, additionally wrote scripts for concerts and corporate parties. The team was successful, it seemed that they were at the peak of their fame.
However, in 2003, a serious conflict situation arose between the team and Alexander Maslyakov , as a result of which “95th Quarter” left KVN. As in the case of other comedians, the Krivoy Rog residents quarreled with Maslyakov over a financial issue. Allegedly, Vladimir was offered to remain in KVN as an author and editor, but without a team. After which he chose to develop his career with the team, but not in KVN.
“95th Quarter” - political cabaret
At the end of 2003, the Ukrainian TV channel “1+1” invited the “95th Quarter” to organize a series of concerts consisting of the team’s best numbers, which played an important role in the biography of Zelensky and his project.
In the photo: Vladimir Zelensky during the concert program of the Kvartal 95 studio (Photo: Zuma/TASS)
On Ukrainian TV, the work of “95th Quarter” instantly became in demand. Channel “1+1” invited the guys to perform the most successful numbers. At the same time, the Kvartal 95 studio appeared. Vladimir became one of its owners.
In 2005, Zelensky and his colleagues created the “Evening Quarter” program, a political cabaret project that quickly became popular in the country. The politicization of Ukrainian society after the first Maidan also played a role, while criticism of the new Orange government was in great demand - this was done at a good level by the show of Zelensky and other ex-KVN members. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko , the next President Viktor Yanukovych , Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and other famous politicians were constantly parodied by the actors of the 95th Quarter.
The inspirer and exponent of the ideas of “Kvartal 95” was Vladimir Zelensky, but above all, he proved himself to be a successful manager who brought together talented authors and actors.
In 2006, at the International Media Competition, the team of the Kvartal 95 studio received the “Golden Pen” in the category “Best Entertainment Television Program”. Then “95th Quarter” received the “Cover of the Year” award and the “Teletriumph” Award of the National Council of Ukraine for Television and Radio Broadcasting in the “Entertainment Program of 2006” category.
In 2009, the main owner of the asset became the Cypriot Art Fox Studios Ltd, which, according to Wikipedia, was associated with the owner of Inter, oligarch Valery Khoroshkovsky . During this period of his career on the Inter channel, Zelensky was for some time the general producer (2010−2012), promoting various television projects.
The Evening Quarter studio, led by Zelensky, gave birth to the programs “Ukraine, Get Up” and “Fight Club.” As a TV presenter, together with Ruslana Pysanka, Zelensky hosted the show “Office Romance,” which was also broadcast by the Inter channel. In addition, Vladimir took part in the project “Dancing with the Stars - 1”, in which, together with his partner Alena Shoptenko, he took first place.
In 2010, Zelensky launched the “Make the Comedian Laugh” program, in which he became the host together with Dmitry Shepelev . Then he hosted the show “Hot Seat.”
In the photo: Vladimir Zelensky’s performance at the concert of the Kvartal 95 studio (Photo: Zuma/TASS)
In October 2012, Inter ceased cooperation with Studio Kvartal 95, as reported in the news, due to increased prices for products from Zelensky's studio. As a result, “Kvartal 95” switched to the “1+1” channel. 21 episodes of “Evening Quarter” and “Evening Kiev” per year were estimated by experts at $9 million. “Evening Quarter” at that time was considered the highest rated show on the Inter TV channel, its average audience share was 65 percent (people over 18 years old living throughout Ukraine).
In 2012, as part of the TV show “Evening Kiev”, broadcast on the “1+1” channel, the political animated series “Fairytale Russia” was released, among the heroes of which were recognized President Yanukovych, Prime Minister Azarov , oppositionists Yatsenyuk , Tymoshenko and others.
Zelensky’s career progressed successfully in Russia as well. “Ukrainian Quarter” as a version of the show “95 Quarter” was aired on the STS channel in 2010. Vladimir, together with Philip Kirkorov, were the hosts of the “New Wave” program.
Vladimir Zelensky's film career
Vladimir Zelensky has also proven himself in the film business, in particular in the Russian market. Zelensky himself starred in the comedy film “Love in the City” about three friends from New York. , Alexey Chadov and Ville Haapasalo , as well as Vera Brezhneva , Svetlana Khodchenkova , Anastasia Zadorozhnaya , Olesya Zheleznyak played in the film . Philip Kirkorov also appeared in a small but important role in the film.
In the photo: actors Svetlana Khodchenkova as Nastya and Vladimir Zelensky as Igor in a frame from the film “Love in the City” directed by Marius Weisberg (Photo: TASS/Kino)
The public liked “Love in the City,” so sequels followed. The box office of the first and second films amounted to more than 300 million rubles (in Russia and the CIS), and Love in the City 3, released in 2014, was able to collect more than 500 million.
In the photo: producer Lev Nikolaou, actors Alexey Chadov, Liza Arzamasova, Vladimir Zelensky, singer Vera Brezhneva and producer Georgy Malkov (from left to right) at the press screening of the film at the Atrium cinema, 2009 (Photo: Maxim Shemetov/TASS)
In the photo: actors Svetlana Khodchenkova (Nastya) and Vladimir Zelensky (Igor) on the set of the film directed by Marius Weisberg “Love in the Big City-2”, 2010 (Photo: TASS/Kino)
In 2011, a remake of Ryazanov’s “Office Romance” appeared on the screens. But this time, there was no success. The viewer inevitably compared Novoseltsev- Myagkov and Novoseltsev-Zelensky, and the comparison was not in Vladimir’s favor.
In the photo: actors Svetlana Khodchenkova (Lyudmila Kalugina) and Vladimir Zelensky (Anatoly Novoseltsev) in a scene from the film “Office Romance. Our Time" directed by Sarik Andreasyan, 2011 (Photo: TASS/NBC Universal Press Service)
Another comedy in which Vladimir Alexandrovich starred is “Rzhevsky against Napoleon.” In this film, Zelensky played the role of Napoleon. Once again, critics and the public were disappointed. However, the box office was reportedly quite good.
In the photo: actors Pavel Derevyanko (Lieutenant Rzhevsky/Countess Rzhevskaya), Mikhail Efremov (Leo Tolstoy) and Vladimir Zelensky (Napoleon) (from left to right) on the set of the film “Rzhevsky against Napoleon” directed by Marius Weisberg, 2012 (Photo: TASS/ Movie)
Despite negative reviews, in 2012 Zelensky again starred in the romantic comedy 8 Best Dates, this time with Oksana Akinshina . The film was not successful at the box office.
In 2012, the film “I’ll Be Around,” produced by Zelensky, won at the Russian film festival “Kinotavr.”
After the Euromaidan and Zelensky’s transition to the ranks of fans of the Kyiv authorities, in particular, who supported the military operation against Donbass, this could not but affect his career in Russian show business. The sequel to the film “8 New Dates” caused a scandal in Russia. Activists of the National Liberation Movement held a series of pickets in many cities of the country with posters “ Vladimir Zelensky is a bloody buffoon” or “Zelensky is a sponsor of the murders of Donbass residents.” Many were offended that a Ukrainian actor with an anti-Russian position who was helping the ATO wanted to make money from films in Russia.
N photo: actor Vladimir Zelensky (Ostap), world champion in all-around strength Vasily Virastyuk, actors Yuri Koryavchenkov (Batya), Sergey Kazanin and Evgeny Koshevoy (Evgeny) (from left to right) during the filming of the New Year's musical “Cossacks”, 2009 (Photo : Vladimir Sindeev/TASS)
Russophobia did not affect Zelensky’s desire to make money from films in Russia; in 2020, the next Russian film in the series, “8 Best Dates,” was released. Instead of Akinshina, Vera Brezhneva now played with Zelensky. It was reported that the film with Zelensky and Brezhnev failed at the box office, however, according to Kinopoisk, it collected more than $2 million - slightly more than its budget.
The series “Matchmakers” - from success to the ban by the SBU
A prominent place in the biography of the Kvartal 95 studio was occupied by the series “Matchmakers,” which received recognition not only in Ukraine, but also in Russia. Since 2008, six seasons of the series “Matchmakers”, the musical “New Year’s Matchmakers”, the TV show “Matchmakers at the Stove”, the series “Tales of Mitya” and the animated series “Svatiki” have been filmed. “Matchmakers” from Zelensky’s studio was shown on Russian channels “Russia-1”, “Dom Kino”, Ukrainian channels “Inter”, “1+1” and “ICTV”.
The success of the series “Matchmakers” rested largely on Russian actors, in particular Fyodor Dobronravov and Tatyana Kravchenko . In 2020, Zelensky reported problems with filming due to disagreements, the producer himself and his studio “Kvartal-95” are on the side of the Ukrainian government in the armed conflict in Donbass, and Russian actors, Donetsk native Tatyana Kravchenko and Fyodor Dobronravov, think differently, to In addition, Dobronravov, Lyudmila Artemyeva and Nikolai Dobrynin were deprived of the opportunity to visit Ukraine.
However, the desire to make money on the series overcame the controversy and filming of season 7 began in July 2017. But in the fall of the same year, the series was banned from showing on the territory of Ukraine - this was done by the Ukrainian authorities supported by Zelensky.
When it came to personal interests, Zelensky was not afraid to voice his claims to the SBU. Due to the ban on the series “Matchmakers” in Ukraine, the Ukrainian actor and producer posted a video on social networks with the title “It’s boiling!”
“The media is discussing such an important issue for our country - to ban the series “Matchmakers”. Without this, the economy will not grow,” Zelensky said in a video message. He added that “if someone doesn’t like the word “matchmakers,” the word “godfathers” is closer to you, you will first overcome your nepotism, and then you will fight our “Matchmakers.”
“This is a Ukrainian series invented by me and my colleagues. This series was filmed with our money, by our people. Who you are? If you are a security service, then take care of safety so that walking the streets is not scary!” Zelensky concluded.
“1+1” filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine due to the ban on “Matchmakers” and in the summer of 2020 it was lifted. On June 21, 2020, filming of the series “Matchmakers 7” resumed in Minsk. The final episodes of the season were going to be filmed in Georgia, and the premiere was scheduled for March 2019.
Career of President Zelensky - first in Servant of the People
Pictured: series poster
In 2020, the television series “Studio Kvartal 95” “Servant of the People” was released with Vladimir Zelensky in the title role (directed by Alexey Kiryushchenko ). The series, meaningfully subtitled “The History of the Next President,” told the story of how history teacher Vasily Goloborodko swears a lot in front of his students, indignant at the problems surrounding the residents of Ukraine. Next, a student in his class films a monologue on a mobile phone and posts it on the Internet, after which Zelensky’s hero becomes so popular that he nominates himself for the presidential election and somehow magically wins. In the future, “President Zelensky” voices various banal populist initiatives; the series even includes footage in which he shoots at deputies with a machine gun - realizing one of the main wishes of Ukrainian citizens of various views.
The series “Servant of the People” became the highest-rated series on Ukrainian television in 2020, it was watched by more than 20 million viewers, and on the YouTube channel “Kvartal 95” - 98 million people.
“Servant of the People” was acquired by TV channels in Estonia and Kazakhstan. Then Studio Kvartal 95 sold the rights to show the series Servant of the People to the world's largest Internet TV platform Netflix.
In the photo: Ukrainian presidential candidate actor and showman Vladimir Zelensky on the set. Zelensky leads the presidential rating in Ukraine, as evidenced by public opinion polls. Second and third places are occupied by Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko (Photo: from AP/TASS archive)
In October 2020, the second season of the series “Servant of the People” was released, where Zelensky continued to be president. In August 2020, filming began on the third season, which is scheduled for release in March 2019.
The series “Servant of the People” was criticized by Ukrainian nationalists for the Russian language of the characters, at the same time, President Zelensky is quite anti-Russian, approximately corresponding to the position and views of the actor himself at this stage of his biography.
Political career of Vladimir Zelensky, presidential candidate 2019
During Euromaidan, Zelensky practically did not voice his position. And then, after a further break between Ukraine and Russia, Vladimir gradually began to make a political career. Zelensky actively supported official Kyiv in the civil war in Donbass, spoke out against the DPR and LPR, and against Moscow and Russia in general. Participants of the “95th Quarter” constantly performed in front of the soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine; it is also known that they transferred funds to support the punitive “anti-terrorist” operation (ATO). The conversation, according to Ukrainian publications, was about a million hryvnia (approximately), which was used to purchase personal hygiene products and medicines for soldiers.
“If Russian performers express anti-Ukrainian views, for me they simply cease to be stars,” Zelensky said in an interview. And before the start of the release of the film “Eight Best Dates” in Russia, Vladimir Zelensky was reminded of this ambivalent position. After all, he criticizes our country, but it’s where he makes money.
In February 2020, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, at the request of the deputy of the Moscow municipal district of Yakimanka Dmitry Zakharov, began checking information about the financing of Zelensky, as well as other Ukrainian cultural figures, of the Ukrainian security forces.
At the beginning of 2020, a source in the presidential administration of Ukraine noted that Poroshenko’s competitors in the elections could be musician and leader of the Okean Elzy group Svyatoslav Vakarchuk or actor Vladimir Zelensky.
In September 2020, many were surprised by the news that Vladimir Zelensky was in second place in the rating of presidential candidates in Ukraine - his candidacy is supported by 7.8% of the residents of Square. 6.8% of respondents are ready to vote for the current leader Petro Poroshenko. Further in the ranking were deputy Anatoly Gritsenko , head of the political force “Opposition Bloc” Yuri Boyko , deputy Vadim Rabinovich , deputy Oleg Lyashko , musician and leader of the group “Okean Elzy” Svyatoslav Vakarchuk.
According to the survey, the main demand of respondents for the future president of Ukraine is a cessation of hostilities in the East of Ukraine (66%).
Photo: Ukrainian comedian and actor Vladimir Zelensky (right) shakes hands with a Central Election Commission (CEC) employee while presenting documents to register as a presidential candidate, Kiev, January 25, 2020 (Photo: Zuma/TASS)
According to many analysts, Zelensky is promoted by oligarch Igor Kolomoisky , on whose channel the showman’s programs are aired. Kolomoisky has a big grudge against current President Poroshenko.
“Kolomoisky is now busy with the main task: not allowing Poroshenko to enter the second round. Therefore, I chose the main candidate for myself (of course, Tymoshenko) and the technical one (Zelensky). The rest is not important to him,” political scientist Vladimir Kornilov commented to SP on Zelensky’s chances as a presidential candidate.
In the photo: tall figures of Ukrainian presidential candidates Yulia Tymoshenko and Vladimir Zelensky, installed by a group of activists on one of the city streets on the eve of the presidential elections, 2019 (Photo: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire/TASS)
Political scientist Dmitry Galkin o.
Russian actor Ivan Okhlobystin noted in an interview that the US authorities were disappointed in Poroshenko and would soon allow him to escape to some “warm country.” In addition, the artist expressed hope that Ukrainian showman Vladimir Zelensky will become the new president of Square.
In the photo: Vladimir Zelensky’s performance at the Kvartal 95 studio concert (Photo: AP/TASS)
On January 1, Vladimir Zelensky announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections in Ukraine, which are scheduled for the end of March 2019. On New Year's Eve, on the air of the Ukrainian TV channel “1+1”, the showman spoke about his intention to participate in the presidential elections.
In the photo: people walk past a poster with the inscription “The Servant of the People is the President!” in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 31, 2020. “Servant of the People” is a television series starring Ukrainian actor and presidential candidate Vladimir Zelensky. The series tells the story of Vasily Goloborodko (actor Vladimir Zelensky), a thirty-year-old high school history teacher who wins the presidential election in Ukraine after a viral video in which he rails against government corruption in Ukraine (Photo: Zuma/TASS)
In January, a scandal began in Ukraine when it became clear that the Cypriot company Green Family LTD, which is a co-founder of the Kvartal 95 studio, owns three companies in Russia. Zelensky reacted heavily to publications in the media; in a video message, he stated that his company operates only in Ukraine.
“We don’t work in Russia after what it did to Ukraine. We don’t go there, we don’t perform there, a criminal case was even opened against me there because the Kvartal 95 company and I helped our army with finances,” he emphasized.
However, this apparently turned out to be a joke, since Zelensky then promised that he would become one of the owners of the Cypriot company that owns a business in Russia.
“I have the following solution, very simple and which solves everything. I realized that I could leave not this company, which is there (in Russia - approx.), but from the Cypriot company, which is the owner of those companies. That's all. Today we found this solution, and soon I will be out,” Zelensky was quoted as saying by the news.
Ukrainian presidential elections, results
Already on the afternoon of March 31, data from the first exit polls of the presidential elections in Ukraine appeared in the news. Journalist Mustafa Nayem cited the results of five surveys at once. Since, according to Ukrainian law, it is prohibited to publish exit poll results before the end of voting, the authors post them under the guise of “marketing research on the alcohol preferences of Ukrainians,” and the candidates in them are encrypted under the guise of brands of alcoholic beverages.
Vladimir Zelensky corresponds to “ZeBrovka”, Petro Poroshenko - chocolate liqueur, Yulia Tymoshenko - “Veuve Clicquot”, and Yuriy Boyko - “Moscow vodka “Boykaya””.
According to the results of these polls, Zelensky won the first round, for whom from 26.8% to 28.8% of the votes were cast. Four out of five polls showed that Zelensky's opponent in the second round will be incumbent President Poroshenko with a result of 17.43% to 20.5%.
Later, the results of the national exit poll for the presidential elections in Ukraine became known. According to the Ilk Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology and the Ukrainian Center for Economic and Political Research named after Alexander Razumkov, Vladimir Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko will advance to the second round.
Vladimir Zelensky received 30.4% of the vote, Petro Poroshenko - 17.8%, Yulia Tymoshenko - 14.2%, Yuriy Boyko - 9.8%.
In the photo: candidate for the post of President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky during the announcement of the preliminary results of the first round of voting in the presidential elections in Ukraine, March 31, 2020 (Photo: Anna Marchenko/TASS)
On April 2, the Central Election Commission of Ukraine confirmed the entry of showman and head of the Servant of the People party Vladimir Zelensky, as well as the current president of the country Petro Poroshenko, into the second round of elections. After processing 99% of the protocols, Zelensky received 30.22% of the votes, Poroshenko - 15.93%. Yulia Tymoshenko came third with 13.4%.
In the second round, Petro Poroshenko was unable to oppose anything to Vladimir Zelensky. According to most experts, he lost the debate to his opponent, and in the April 21 elections he received almost 3 times fewer votes.
According to the national exit poll in the second round of the presidential election, which was conducted by the Ilk Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, the Kiev International Institute of Sociology and the Ukrainian Center for Economic and Political Research named after Alexander Razumkov, 73.2% of voters voted for Vladimir Zelensky, and for 25.3% voted for Petro Poroshenko. 1.05% crossed out both of them or spoiled the ballot.
As the head of the Central Election Commission Tatyana Slipachuk officially stated, the candidate from the Servant of the People party Zelensky received 73.22% of the votes in the second round, his rival Petro Poroshenko - only 24.45%.
Zelensky as President of Ukraine
On the morning of May 20, at a ceremonial meeting of the Verkhovna Rada, Vladimir Zelensky took office as President of Ukraine. Zelensky was presented with the official symbols of power of the President of Ukraine: a mace, an official seal and a sign in the form of an order chain.
In one of his first decisions, Zelensky dissolved the Verkhovna Rada. He gave parliament two months before dissolution, asking it to pass a number of urgent laws during this time. In particular, approve documents on the abolition of parliamentary immunity, on criminal liability for illegal enrichment and adopt an electoral code.
The president also asked deputies to dismiss the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General and the Minister of Defense, and asked the Ukrainian government to resign.
“Our first task is to cease fire in Donbass,” Zelensky said in his address to the Ukrainian people from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada.
According to him, he is ready to do everything “to ensure that our heroes no longer die.” “I’m definitely not afraid to make difficult decisions. “I am ready to lose my popularity, my ratings, and if necessary, I am ready to lose my position without hesitation so that peace can come,” the head of state noted.
In the evening, he signed his first decree, by which he assumed the powers of supreme commander-in-chief. At the same time, as SP reported, Zelensky, after the inauguration, received representatives of the US Administration and Congress and called on them to tighten sanctions against Russia.
On May 21, Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree dissolving the Verkhovna Rada. “To terminate the powers of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation ahead of schedule. Schedule early elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for July 21, 2020,” the news quoted Zelensky’s decree.
Relations with Russia under Zelensky, negotiations with Putin
After his landslide victory in the first round of the Ukrainian presidential election, Zelensky said that at a meeting he would thank President Vladimir Putin for the return of Crimea and ask how much money Russia is still ready to compensate Kyiv for the taken territories.
Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, in a conversation with journalists, commented on the statements of Ukrainian presidential candidate Vladimir Zelensky about Russia’s involvement in what is happening in the Donbass. Peskov also emphasized that the Kremlin does not intend to discuss the topic of Crimea with anyone; the issue of ownership of the peninsula is closed once and for all.
In the photo: candidate for the post of President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky at the election headquarters after the first round of voting in the presidential elections in Ukraine, March 31, 2020 (Photo: Petr Sivkov/TASS)
The comedian’s adviser, former Finance Minister Alexander Danilyuk, said that Zelensky is ready to negotiate with Russian and US leaders Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
After Zelensky’s victory, oligarch Igor Kolomoisky began to constantly appear in Ukrainian news, commenting on the future of the new president and declaring that he was ready to help him.
However, the director of the Ukrainian Institute of Policy Analysis and Management, Ruslan Bortnik, is confident that the influence of the oligarch Igor Kolomoisky on the new President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky will not be too strong.
On September 7, 2020, an exchange of former prisoners was carried out between Russia and Ukraine. The exchange took place according to the formula “35 to 35” - i.e. 35 people took part in it on each side. Among those who returned to Russia were the editor-in-chief of RIA Novosti Ukraine Kirill Vyshinsky , former DPR militiaman Vladimir Tsemakh , whom Ukrainian media are positioning as the main witness in the case of the Malaysian Boeing MH17, as well as Russian Evgeniy Mefedov , who conducted on a trumped-up charge, five years in the Odessa pre-trial detention center.
Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova called it a new page in relations in the humanitarian and legal sphere between countries.
On September 7, Putin and Zelensky spoke on the phone; the conversation took place at the initiative of Kyiv.
“First of all, the humanitarian aspect of this action is emphasized, which is of great importance for the normalization and improvement of bilateral relations,” the Kremlin press service noted in a statement. The presidents also agreed on further contacts.
On the evening of December 9, 2020, a meeting of the leaders of the Normandy Four was held in Paris at the Elysee Palace, dedicated to resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine. The Russian leader's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said that before the start of negotiations in the Normandy format in Paris, the presidents shook hands.
After this, negotiations between the leaders of the two countries took place on the sidelines of the “Normandy summit”; they lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes. The news reported that Vladimir Putin, passing by journalists, said that he was pleased with the negotiations with Vladimir Zelensky.
“SP” also reported that Zelensky considered the negotiations with the Russian president in Paris to have ended in a draw.
“He breaks down every issue into detail. We have settled every word. It's complicated. I’m a different person: once and for all, we agreed. He has a different natural biomechanics,” Zelensky shared his impressions.
According to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, an exchange of detainees can take place between the Russian Federation and Square according to the “all for all” formula; he also said that residents of his country can speak any language and invited journalists from Russia to personally visit Ukraine. At the same time, he noted that his country would never agree to federalization
Scandal after conversation with Trump
A big scandal in the United States in the fall of 2020 was caused by news after a conversation between the American leader and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, during which Trump allegedly demanded to launch an investigation against Hunter Biden, the son of US presidential candidate Joe Biden.
After this, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, said that Congress was beginning impeachment proceedings against Trump because of his
Trump himself called the words of Vladimir Zelensky the best proof that the head of the White House did not put pressure on him in his own interests.
“The President of Ukraine said that I did NOT pressure him to do anything wrong. There can be no better proof than this!,” he wrote on Twitter.
At the same time, Trump added that former US Vice President Joe Biden, through his son, put pressure on the Ukrainian president in order to earn millions of dollars.
Former Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavel Klimkin commented on the story of impeachment of the US President on social networks.
“No matter what happens next, in the history of the United States, Ukraine will remain as the country that led to the beginning of the impeachment procedure of the US President. Not a very fun prospect. But now everyone understands what we are capable of,” he wrote.
Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused US President Donald Trump of treason. On her Twitter page, she said that Trump had betrayed his country.
“This is not a political statement, this is a harsh reality, and we must act,” Clinton said.
Personal life of Vladimir Zelensky
Vladimir Zelensky married a girl with whom he studied in parallel classes. Elena Zelenskaya is one of the authors of the KVN team, and then of the 95th Quarter studio, although she is a lawyer by education, just like Zelensky.
In the photo: candidate for the post of President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky and his wife Elena Kiyashko at the campaign headquarters after the first round of voting in the presidential elections in Ukraine, March 31, 2020 (Photo: Petr Sivkov/TASS)
The Zelensky family has two children: daughter Sasha and son Kirill. Vladimir said in an interview that he considers responsibility for his family to be a courageous act of any man.
Politics and scandals
At the beginning of the escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine in 2014, Vladimir openly supported the actions of the Ukrainian army in Donbass. But during the Maidan, the comedian did not advertise his moods, and at a press conference dedicated to the release of the comedy “Love in the City 3”, he defined his views on the situation with the words:
"We are with the people."
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A post shared by Vladimir Zelensky (@zelenskiy_official) on Sep 15, 2020 at 2:20am PDT
After the aggravation of the political crisis and the beginning of a violent confrontation in the East of Ukraine, the artist, together with his colleagues, not only performed concerts in front of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but also donated 1 million hryvnia to the needs of the army.
In his speeches, the comedian more than once made fun of Russia and Russian politicians, not ignoring the country's President Vladimir Putin. Soon, the artist encountered difficulties: on Russian television, work on the next season of the successful Russian-Ukrainian series “Matchmakers” was frozen.
In the winter of 2020, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation began checking information about the financing of Ukrainian security forces by Vladimir and other cultural figures. It is noteworthy that the artist himself spoke out against the ban on the entry of Russian colleagues into Ukraine.
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A post shared by Vladimir Zelensky (@zelenskiy_official) on Sep 6, 2020 at 10:27am PDT
Vladimir Zelensky and Yevgeny Koshevoy
At home, not everyone likes Zelensky’s jokes about Russia either. In 2014, the showman ended up in the hospital with multiple hematomas on his body. The attackers beat the artist late in the evening on the Kyiv embankment, and, as the comedian later noted in an interview, “they were pro-Russian.” It is unknown how the story would have ended if not for a random passer-by who threatened to call the police. Vladimir generously thanked his savior.
In December 2014, unknown persons set fire to Zelensky’s SUV parked near the Ukraine Palace in Kyiv. A year later, information appeared that employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs neutralized members of a gangster group who were preparing an assassination attempt on the comedian. The attackers’ plans included an attack on members of Vladimir’s family. After this incident, the artist was forced to hire security.
Vladimir Zelensky jokes about Ukraine in Jurmala
In 2020, a new scandal broke out, caused by the jokes of Zelensky and Kvartal-95 in Jurmala. This time the comedian was offended at home. The reason, as some thought, was an overly sharp recapitulation of the economic situation in Ukraine. The artist compared his country to a “beggar” that begs neighboring countries for money and absolutely does not return it.
In 2020, Zelensky began work on the 7th season of the TV series “Matchmakers,” which the Ukrainian authorities did not like. The film was banned in Ukraine, and Fyodor Dobronravov was banned from entering the country for 3 years.
The authorities turned out to be adamant, and Vladimir had to interrupt filming of the next season of the sitcom. The producer posted an angry message to politicians on his personal Facebook profile. After 3 months, the leading actor confirmed that the issue of continuing filming had already been resolved positively.
Family
The future monopolist of domestic humor spent his childhood and youth in the Dnepropetrovsk region. He was born and raised in the city of Krivoy Rog.
Vladimir Zelensky (Quarter 95)
The comedian's parents: father - Alexander Semenovich, Doctor of Economics, professor, head of the department of computer science of the Krivoy Rog branch of the Kyiv University of Economics, mother - Rimma Vladimirovna, now a housewife, formerly an engineer.
Marital status: Married. Wife - Elena (born 1978, maiden name - Kiyashko). They studied in parallel classes at the same school. The couple got married in 2003. Children: daughter Alexandra (born 2004), son Kirill (born 2013)
By profession, Vladimir Zelensky’s wife is an architect. However, she is a member of the authors' group "Optimist and Pessimist" and is the author of "Quarter 95". According to open sources, before getting married, the couple dated for 7 years. And now he and his wife have been married for 16 years.
The artist himself tells the media a little about his personal life. Their family relationship with his wife, despite their long life together, remained romantic. It’s just that, due to his busy schedule, he doesn’t always have enough time for romance.
He loves to sit with his son, work out with his daughter, have dinner with his family at the same table, returning from another tour. Elena Zelenskaya understands her husband better than anyone and tries to support him in everything.
True, sometimes there are rumors that Vladimir Zelensky flirts and has affairs on the side with colleagues. For example, while participating in the television project “Dancing with the Stars,” he was credited with love with Alena Shoptenko. But, as the artist himself told the media, this love was only on the floor.
The famous comedian admits that his wife is his best friend. He loves her very much, values relationships and tries to protect his family life from prying eyes and interference.
Personal life
Vladimir Zelensky is in the prime of his life and creative plans: in 2020 he celebrated his 40th birthday. With a height of 170 cm (as reported by the actor himself), he has a fit, athletic figure, and his weight is around 63 kg.
The artist is married to Elena Kiyashko, whom he dated for 7 years before the wedding. The couple have known each other since childhood; they studied in parallel classes at school. Elena acts as one of the authors of Studio Kvartal-95, despite the fact that she is also a lawyer by training. The couple got married in 2003, after the 95th Quarter team left KVN. A year later, the comedian became the father of Sasha’s daughter. In 2013, Elena Zelenskaya gave birth to her second child, son Kirill.
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Vladimir Zelensky with his wife and daughter
According to the comedian’s friends and relatives, Vladimir is an exemplary family man. He calls the main quality of a real man responsibility for his children, family and loved ones. The showman admits that he spoils his daughter and son, as well as his wife, trying to compensate for his frequent absence.
Rumors and gossip about his personal life did not spare Vladimir either. In 2012, on the set of the series “8 First Dates,” the artist met Oksana Akinshina. Rumor has it that a romance broke out between the couple, and at one time the artists dated. But Vladimir himself, in one interview, denied these speculations and laughed at the journalists’ imagination.
Biography
Date of birth: January 25, 1978.
Zodiac sign: Aquarius. According to the eastern horoscope: the year of the Earth Horse.
Nationality: Ukrainian.
Religion: Orthodox.
Interests, hobbies: jokes, gym, cinema.
Vladimir Zelensky, who delighted the population with unconventional jokes, decided in reality to become a “Servant of the People.” Previously, he participated in many television projects. I started as a child with jokes and entertaining stories. Subsequently, his hobby became a profession.
After Vladimir Zelensky entered the presidential race, he had to add his income declaration, although he was not yet in public service. According to Forbes magazine, in 2013 he took third position (after Vladimir Klitschko and Svyatoslav Vakarchuk) in the ranking the most wealthy artists in domestic show business and sports. In life, Vladimir, despite fame and money, does not “turn on the star.”
Ukrainian presidential elections
In the spring of 2020, Ukraine froze in anticipation of the next presidential elections, which took place on March 31, 2020. One of the presidential candidates was Vladimir Zelensky. They started talking about his alleged participation in the election campaign back in the summer of 2018.
Vladimir Zelensky - “I’m going to the polls”
On December 31, 2020, Zelensky officially announced that he was running for president. His performance on the 1+1 TV channel took place on the very eve of the New Year. The channel's management took such a step to the detriment of the congratulatory speech of the current President Petro Poroshenko, which was made later.
Already in his first address to the people, Zelensky outlined the main postulates of his election program on a number of pressing issues: the cessation of hostilities in Donbass, the building of relations with the IMF, the European Union, NATO, etc.
On January 21, 2020, the name of Vladimir Alexandrovich was successfully registered in the list of candidates for the post of head of state. Zelensky’s candidacy was nominated on its own behalf by the Servant of the People party. This organization was formed 3 years ago, at first its name sounded like “Party of Decisive Changes”. The head is Ivan Bakanov, who is also promoting the humorous “Studio Kvartal-95”.
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Vladimir Zelensky in 2020
Very quickly, Vladimir Alexandrovich became the leader of the election race. Already at the end of January, a number of sociological companies recorded a 21% rating of the candidate, who was ahead of his closest opponents Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko by 5-6%. And in early February, 5-7% more respondents voted for the actor than 2 weeks ago.
Political scientists explain this popularity of Vladimir by the non-standard form of the election campaign. The producer covers the presidential race in the format of an online Internet show, almost constantly introducing social network subscribers to the events of his political activities.
On March 31, 2020, Vladimir Zelensky, who received 30.24% of the vote, and Petro Poroshenko (15.95%) advanced to the second round, leaving their competitors behind. The elections, as expected, were accompanied by news stories, scandals, provocative speeches and videos.
On April 21, the second round of the presidential elections in Ukraine took place, in which Vladimir Zelensky won an unconditional, almost triple, victory, according to the exit poll. Petro Poroshenko admitted his defeat and offered his help to the new head of state, which Zelensky is in no hurry to refuse.
Career
Zelensky was the captain of the 95th Quarter team for a long time. The first television project where he was the host was “Mr. Cook” in 2004. He is an actor, as well as the author of the “Evening Quarter” project, became the author of the idea for the projects “I want to go to Meladze”, “Guess the Box”, the host of the “League of Laughter” and other famous programs.
At the end of the 2000s, he starred in the movie “Love in the City,” playing a dentist; the script for the movie was created by the 95th Quarter Studio. In addition, he took part in the creation of films “Reluctant Casanova”, “Police Academy”, “Servant of the People”, “I, You, He, She”, etc. as an actor.
He is the screenwriter of the movie “Chasing Two Hares,” the famous TV series “Matchmakers,” the film “8 First Dates, etc.” He became the producer of the series “Matchmakers”, the works “Dads”, “Servant of the People” and some others. Together with D. Dodson, he is the director of the movie “Me, You, He, She.”
At the end of last year, Zelensky addressed Ukrainians on the 1+1 channel, saying that he would participate in the elections. At the end of January 2019, he became a presidential candidate. The inauguration took place in May of this year.
Movie
Do not forget that Zelensky is an actor. His successful cinematic biography includes many musicals and feature films. Vladimir himself has a great sense of humor, and his partners are artists who, in this workshop of comedians, are not inferior in skill to the young actor. Anna Ardova and Alena Sviridova made an excellent acting team with the actor. A bright flash on cinema screens was the comedy film “Love in the City”, which, due to numerous requests from viewers and huge ratings, has already had a sequel.
A wonderful, bright cast (Svetlana Khodchenkova, Alexey Chadov, Ville Haapasalo) graced the project.
The genre in which Zelensky appears as an actor is comedy, but they are sometimes romantic, and sometimes political. The comedy “8 First Dates” turned out to be the brightest. The political film “Servant of the People” became fateful for the actor, a kind of prediction of a completely different biography. In this film, the actor played the role of the Ukrainian president. Now Zelensky is fighting for this post in real life. Vladimir tried himself as a TV presenter, which he did very well. The Evening Quarter program very quickly gained a high rating. He constantly updates his programs, which prevents them from fading away and becoming uninteresting. The actor often becomes a participant in many new and popular projects; just remember his participation in the Ukrainian project “Dancing with the Stars”.
The TV show “Make the Comedian Laugh” gained the most popularity, and a year later Philip Kirkorov took the comedian to his TV show “Factor A”. Vladimir hosted a musical and humorous show. Zelensky's studio was very profitable and popular. The popular actor and showman does not stop there. He decided to try himself as a director, as well as a producer and actor.
Political activity
Several years before Vladimir Zelensky decided to nominate his candidacy for the presidency, he began supporting Euromaidan participants, helped the Ukrainian army and battalions of volunteers in every possible way, and also performed concert numbers for the military who participated in the fighting in Donbass. And also, together with the actors of “95th Quarter”, he made a donation in the amount of one million hryvnia.
In his speeches he demeaned and ridiculed the Russian government, as well as Russian citizens. And as a result, Zelensky had conflicts in the country that he ridiculed. This was primarily affected by the cancellation of his show “Evening Quarter” on television in Russia. The new season of the popular and beloved series “Matchmakers” was frozen, and the reason was the political mood. Russian actors did not agree with Zelensky's political views.
Vladimir Zelensky was one of those who opposed the introduction of a ban on the entry of Russian cultural figures into the territory of Ukraine and spoke out fiercely about the idea of banning the television series “Matchmakers” in Ukraine.
Important! In 2020, Zelensky announced that he had decided to nominate his candidacy for the post of President of Ukraine in the 2020 elections. He made his decision after successfully playing the role of a school history teacher who, by chance, became the president of Ukraine.
At the moment, Vladimir Zelensky has won the first race for the presidency, gaining more than 30% of the votes, and is preparing for the second round of elections, in which his opponent will still be the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
In order to run for president, he made several important decisions:
- created his own party called “Servant of the People”;
- I also began to seriously study the Ukrainian language, as this is one of the most important conditions for a presidential candidate. The President is obliged to know the language of the country he leads.
Policy
Zelensky has recently been the president of Ukraine and quite often demonstrates his political views; he was against Dobass and spoke approvingly in favor of the actions of the Ukrainian forces. Later, he becomes more restrained in his statements, but his actions and donations to the Ukrainian army speak much more eloquently than words. Due to negative statements against Russia, Vladimir lost the opportunity to work on Russian television. The actor was even severely beaten in his native Kyiv, which became a reason to say that those who attacked Zelensky were pro-Russian.
Compromising evidence and rumors
Kvartal also had to perform sharp satire in the ATO zone. The famous artist and his team support our army. In an interview with domestic media, Elena Kravets had to admit: after visiting the conflict zone with a concert program, she realized that she was in the right place. And in general: new humor in difficult situations brings significant relief to Ukrainians.
By the way, the artists donated 1 million UAH to the needs of Ukrainian defenders. For financing the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Investigative Committee (Russia) opened a criminal case against the personality of the comedian himself.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Zelensky’s “quarter” continues to ridicule Ukrainian politicians. They do not leave Russian President Vladimir Putin alone either. Russia, in the person of the head of state, was not satisfied with this interpretation in relation to his person, so as a result, “Evening Quarter,” broadcast on television in the aggressor country, was banned.
Zelensky and Koshevoy
But the showman has many opponents in our country. It was absolutely no coincidence that the actor’s Range Rover was burned on December 10, 2014. A year later, the attackers were arrested. There were 7 people in the gang. According to media reports, the criminal group was preparing acts of violence against the leader of the block and members of his family, studying information about him and his immediate circle for six months.
In the same year, 2014, the satirist was severely beaten. If it weren’t for the help of the Kiev resident, it is unknown how everything could have ended. A resident of the capital, who wished to remain anonymous, driving past in a car, saw two masked men beating someone lying on the ground, who turned out to be Vladimir Zelensky.
According to the showman, these were pro-Russian citizens, because when they beat him, they reproached him for his active support of the Ukrainian defenders of the fatherland. The man who saved Vladimir Zelensky from the attackers took him to the hospital. The victim had multiple bruises and abrasions. The comedian thanked his savior verbally and financially, giving him 500 thousand UAH.
Two years later, the studio, led by its director, found itself in a scandal. The artists then showed a reprise at the festival in Jurmala, where Ukraine was presented as a poor beggar country - they called it a “porn actress” who “acts” for money. The jokes of the “kvartal” members in Latvia angered some people’s deputies in Kyiv and senior officials.
Oleg Lyashko was especially angry, who was often annoyed by the humor of the showman’s team. According to open sources, the radical spoke harshly against the comedian. He called the artist on the social network “Vovochka the Thumbelina,” “a degenerate without a family.”
Another scandal involving an unsuccessful joke by the “VIP Ternopil” team in Vladimir Zelensky’s “League of Laughter” project broke out last year, on December 7, 2020. Then the Ternopil participants joked about the transgender singer Zianja, who used to be Boris April. In her regard, statements in the neuter gender were heard from television screens.
The singer soon responded to such humor on the social network Instagram. She complained of homophobia. And she hinted at the presidential candidate’s presidential ambitions, saying that he should be ashamed. And in general: a civilized country does not need such a leader. The management of the 1+1 channel apologized to the girl, but the transgender woman did not accept them. And she refused to cooperate with this TV channel.
A sensational situation in November 2020 was the ban on the broadcast of t/c “Svaty” in Ukraine. The main "Kvartalovets" sharply criticized the SBU. The media reported that in less than 24 hours, 1.4 million users managed to watch the video with the showman’s address. The comedian said that “an important economic issue is being decided - to ban the series in our country.”
And he advised Ukrainian law enforcement officers to first overcome nepotism in their system, and not to remove from broadcast a Ukrainian-produced series filmed for Ukrainian money and produced by our people. He suggested that the Ukrainian Security Service take charge of ensuring the safety of the country's residents. At the end, the actor said about the film that so far not a single person has suffered from “Matchmakers.”
But the biggest stir was caused by Vladimir Zelensky’s New Year’s address. How much talk has arisen around the artist’s persona! Some Ukrainians reacted negatively to the showman’s performance. Others spoke positively about Vladimir Alexandrovich: they expressed their readiness to support him with their vote when the time comes to vote in the presidential elections.
Let us recall that on New Year's Eve 2020, on the air of the 1+1 TV channel, instead of the usual speech by the country's President Petro Poroshenko, Vladimir Zelensky addressed the audience from the TV screens with a statement that he was really running for the post of president of the country.
A positive image of the humorist-politician developed among the people after the release of the series “Servant of the People.” The channel's management explained the latest New Year's episode by saying that the time had come for new opportunities. And listening to the president of the country while the chimes strike is a long-standing Soviet tradition.
Vladimir Zelensky
On his page on the social network Facebook, the artist published a corresponding video message to the people of the country, in which he noted that he believes in positive changes in the country. He encourages you not to stand aside and join his team. He notes that gender, religion, education and language are not important, the main thing is that “you have never been in politics.”
Vladimir Zelensky also got into a scandal related to offshore companies and trade with Russia. Journalists of the “Schemes” program found documents that confirm that the comedian still has a business in Russia and discovered that one of these companies, which through a Cypriot company belongs to Zelensky and his business partners, even took part and successfully qualified for competition for government funding from the Russian budget. Zelensky himself, who was caught on the street, refused to comment on this matter, but later recorded a video in which he apologized. Although he didn’t say anything about financing from Russia.
Dialogue between Maxim Savchuk and Volodymyr Zelensky under his office Our correspondence has already been repeated several times to Volodymyr Zelensky with complaints about expanding the interview to one of the upcoming participants in the presidential races.
Even though the date of the interview did not appear. So, to get the comment off the air, our large group arrived at your office in Kiev Geplaatst door Schemes: corruption in the details - RFERL op Vrijdag 18 January 2019
But after some time, the comedian still had to admit that he has a business in Russia and that it is really offshore. But he explained that the contract was signed before the war with Russia and now he is still working and making films.
Vladimir Zelensky himself said that he does not want to leave the money to Russia that they earned. And he cannot go there to break the contract because of the criminal case that has been opened against him in Russia.
Assassination attempt on Zelensky
On April 15, unknown armed people were detained in the cottage town where presidential candidate Vladimir Zelensky lives. The police conducted a successful investigation and special operation, thanks to which the criminals were detained.
The police have not made official statements about who exactly the assassination attempt was being prepared for, how many people were detained, or whether it was somehow connected with Zelensky.
Presidential campaign
It is already possible to state with almost complete certainty the fact that Vladimir Zelensky will become the president of Ukraine. In the first round he received 30.2% of the votes of all voters. And he passed on the second morning of the elections together with the current President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko (15.9).
After this, a dialogue began between the candidates, which was popularly called the “debate about debates.” Several videos were recorded where Vladimir Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko invite each other to debates and set various conditions.
Also, a video appeared in which Vladimir Zelensky is hit by a car.
Ultimately, the parties agreed that the official debate would take place at the Olympic Stadium. We agreed that each candidate would have his own stage, and their voters would also be divided. But Petro Poroshenko went to Vladimir Zelensky’s stage at the very beginning of the debate.
Judging by opinion polls conducted among voters, it became clear that after the debate, Vladimir Zelensky only strengthened his position in the presidential race.
In the second round of elections, which took place on April 21, the exit poll showed that Zelensky received 73% of the votes among all voters, and Petro Poroshenko, in turn, 25.5%.
If there were no errors, then the Central Election Commission will publish the results by May 1, which will announce Zelensky’s victory in the presidential elections in Ukraine.
Results of the presidential elections in Ukraine 2019
While it was clear from the exit poll results that Vladimir Zelensky would most likely become the country’s president, official data on the election results became known only on April 30.
Vladimir Zelensky received 73.22% of the votes in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential elections and was elected to the presidency. The protocol on this was read by the head of the Central Election Commission during the official announcement of the election results.
24.45% of voters voted for the then-current President of Ukraine.
But for now, Vladimir Zelensky cannot yet be called the president of Ukraine. We must wait for his official assumption of office, which will take place only after the inauguration, the date of which is set by the Verkhovna Rada. But in any case, it must take place no later than 30 days after the announcement of the voting results, that is, before June 3, 2020.
Inauguration of Vladimir Zelensky
If we learned the voting results back on April 30, then Vladimir Zelensky did not manage to officially become the President of Ukraine right away. The Rada could not set a date for the inauguration. This continued until May 15, when the Verkhovna Rada’s regulations committee considered seven draft resolutions regarding the inauguration date of the newly elected President Vladimir Zelensky and recommended the Verkhovna Rada to vote on each of them.
The inauguration of Volodymyr Zelensky took place on May 20, about the 10th anniversary. And immediately after his speech, he voted to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. It will take 14 years for all pre-line elections to take place. In addition, in the voice of the promo, as many Ukrainians have taken up quotes, the axis of the head from them:
“There are 65 million of us. And we need you. It is your responsibility to go to Ukraine not to visit, but to go home. You don’t need souvenirs from behind the border, bring us your evidence and mental values.”
“I am ready to do anything so that Ukrainians do not perish in the war”
“Now I understand that the truth is that the president is our own. It’s not 73% who voted for me, but 100%.”
“I will give citizenship to all Ukrainians who live behind the cordon and want to become Ukraine.”
“There is no strong army there, where the government does not respect people who would die for Ukraine”
“Please do not hang my photographs in your offices, because the president is not an idol or an icon.”
“I ask parliament to remove the Prosecutor General’s Office and the SBU from prison”
“I dissolve the Supreme for the sake of the 8th Clique”
“At the coming of the 5th fate, I will earn everything so that the Ukrainians do not cry.”
“In order for our heroes not to die, I am ready to do anything. I am without any preparations to spend my posad, just to bring peace. We didn’t start this war, but we’ll end it.”
“I am brutalizing all Ukrainians in the world - there are 65 million of us, we need more of you. I will give greatness to everyone who is ready to make a strong and independent Ukraine.”
“I know for sure about the Ukrainian fighters, there is no strong army there, and the government does not respect the people who sacrifice their lives for the country. I will spend everything so that you understand the truth. Godna Chi does not teach about NATO standards, but creates standards.”
Volodymyr Zelensky also gave 2 months to the SBU, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Minister of Defense to resign his duties and leave the plantings.
Together with Vladimir Zelensky, many people from his Servant of the People party came to power. But already on February 11, 2020, he said that some politicians have gotten into various scandals many times and the president feels responsible for this. That’s why Zelensky announced “cleansing.” On the same day, Andrei Bogdan, who headed the president’s office, was fired. Andrey Ermak was appointed to his position.
Andrey Ermak (photo - official press service)
On December 20, 2020, Vladimir Zelensky “declared war” on gaming halls. And for some time, absolutely all gaming halls in Ukraine were closed.
Gambling halls throughout Ukraine will be closed. This was stated by the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky, commenting on the failure of the vote in parliament for the law on legalizing the gambling business.
Elena Zelenskaya, photo: OPU
According to Zelensky, he knows who is behind the failure of the vote. “Don’t want to play by transparent rules? Don’t want to work in a civilized manner and pay into the budget? Well, let's do it differently. From today we are immediately closing all gaming halls,” said Vladimir Zelensky.
Presidency of Vladimir Zelensky
During the presidency of Vladimir Zelensky, the people began to doubt their choice, and this is confirmed by a survey conducted among journalists, political experts and activists. It was held exactly one year later of Zelensky’s presidency – May 20, 2020.
The results appeared on the website of the Democratic Initiatives Foundation. They showed the following results:
- The assessment of the president’s own performance is 3.1 out of 10.
- Interaction between the president and parliament – 4.6 out of 10.
- The interaction between the president and the government is 4.2 out of 10.
- Personnel policy – 2.1 out of 10.
Screenshot of survey results
In addition, respondents said that Zelensky’s biggest failure can be considered personnel policy - it is this, in their opinion, that is the president’s weakest side. In addition, experts also recall shortcomings in foreign policy, such as the scandal with the impeachment of the president in the United States, the withdrawal of troops in the Donbass, the unsatisfactory performance of the functions of the Commander-in-Chief, the lack of progress in the fight against corruption, as well as corruption scandals surrounding the head of state.
Screenshot of survey results
It is also worth remembering the conflict between Vladimir Zelensky and Anatoly Bondarenko. The last one is the mayor of Cherkassy, who decided that shops and small markets could be reopened on May 1. This decision was made despite the government decree that quarantine in Ukraine should last at least until May 20.
Zelensky perceived this as “a way to earn political ratings at the cost of the lives and health of city residents.” After some more time, the president called Bondarenko a bandit.
Ultimately, the mayor of Cherkassy decided to sue the current president of Ukraine.
On Embroidery Day in Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky was slightly embarrassed. In his traditional congratulations to the country, he said that he would give embroidered shirts to the presidents of some countries, including Canada. Although this position does not exist there:
“For World Embroidery Day, the President and First Lady of Ukraine sent traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts as gifts to world leaders. Symbolic gifts that carry part of Ukrainian history and culture were received by the presidents and first ladies of the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic, Canada, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Turkey and other countries.”
Zelensky, photo: Facebook
Also, if you remember the election campaign of Vladimir Zelensky, he promised that after his appointment poverty in Ukraine would end. But a year later, practically nothing has changed. At a press conference on May 20, Zelensky said that payments for utility services had become smaller, but did not specify how much.
But the country's treasury lacks $1 billion to help the poor.
“The end of the era of poverty has not come. It cannot come while there is a crisis. I need to invest in people now. We don't have enough money to raise wages. By the way, not everyone’s average salary has increased. We need a billion dollars to help poor people a little. You know that television channels, and I have 20 years of experience in this, you were still a child then, so, I completely understand the budgets of television groups. When I headed Inter, there was a different market, we had enough advertising income to make content,” Zelensky said.
Also, the head of state claims that from the beginning of June about half a million new jobs will be created in Ukraine.
Zelensky, photo: Office of the President
Let us note that many experts agree that Zelensky is still failing as president, for example, Andrei Palchevsky said:
“What Vladimir Zelensky did is an indicator of how you can get 75% of support, promise three boxes, then recruit f*ck knows who, f*ck knows where... Do not change anything in politics... Someone said correctly - we We know how Zelensky will end - he will end with Tomos. Exactly like Poroshenko, 100%. He will finally come out and say: we need a new Tomos. After all, he will no longer have anything left, like Poroshenko. Still, it will already be stolen...”
Zelensky's personal life
The actor studied at the same school with his future wife, Elena Kiyashko, but the man himself admitted that he did not remember her during these years. Therefore, when he saw Elena on the street at the age of 17, for him it was like the first time. The girl was studying to be an architect and was friends with another young man.
Vladimir began to fight off his beloved with all his might, and then invited his opponent to give the choice to Elena herself, whoever she prefers remains. The girl chose Vladimir. Later, she recalled that she saw intelligence, decency in Zelensky, and then he knew how to cheer her up.
The girl’s family was not particularly happy with her choice; her parents thought that the young man did not look like a reliable and serious person.
Elena immediately accepted the humorous activities of her young man, at first she simply went to his rehearsals, then she began to come up with funny situations. She constantly went on tour with the group, and later became a full-fledged lyricist.
Television programs
Initially, the Evening Quarter project was broadcast on the 1+1 TV channel, then Inter bought the rights. Vladimir Alexandrovich played the role of presenter, ideological inspirer and author. The program quickly gained popularity, and Zelensky’s team tirelessly began releasing new programs . The most striking of them:
- "Ukraine, get up."
- "Fight club".
Soon Zelensky began to be regularly invited to participate in various television shows. So, in 2006 he took part in the “Dancing with the Stars” program. His duet with Alena Shoptenko ultimately won.
Then the man, together with Ruslana Pysanka, began hosting the “Office Romance” program on the Inter channel. Four years later, Vladimir became one of the jury members of the comedy program “Make the Comedian Laugh,” and in 2011, in the company of Philip Kirkorov, he hosted the “Factor A” project.
For two years, starting in 2010, the artist served as general producer of the Inter TV channel, and in 2013 he was offered to be the host of the musical project “I Want V VIA Gro”.
In 2020, the show “League of Laughter” was created on the basis of “Kvartal-95”. In this program, teams of comedians competed with each other under the guidance of mentors. Zelensky became the leader of the project, the trainers at different times were:
- Elena Kravets.
- Nadezhda Dorofeeva.
- Potap.
- Vlad Yama.
According to Forbes magazine, Zelensky's income is about $2 million. In 2012, Studio Kvartal-95 took second place in the ranking of the most profitable media projects in Ukraine, losing the championship to Vladimir Klitschko.
