When people describe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, they often refer to him as the “comedian-turned-president.” But that descriptor leaves out a lot.
Keep in mind that Zelensky’s father is a professor of cybernetics and his mother used to work as an engineer. Before beginning his career as a comedian, Zelensky himself earned a law degree from the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics. He didn’t just perform as a comedian, but developed his own production company, Kvartal 95 Studio, in 2003.
That information goes a long way towards explaining this:
The man the Kremlin holds in dismissive contempt, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, has emerged as an online hero. His Twitter account has leapt by hundreds of thousands of followers a day (he now has 4.3 million). Often dressed in olive-green fleece and cargo pants, he has accused Russia of war crimes, signed a formal application to join the European Union, and morphed into a symbol of hope and grace under pressure.
As Russia pursues its ruthless invasion, Mr. Zelensky has used social media adroitly to outmaneuver his nemesis, President Vladimir V. Putin. So, too, have many of the 44 million citizens of Ukraine. TikTok, the video-sharing app with more than a billion active users, has shaped views of the conflict and contributed to an intense wave of global sympathy for Ukraine. Call it Resistance 4.0, the influencers’ war against an unprovoked Russian invasion.
We all know from experience how Vladimir Putin weaponized social media by using bots to spread lies that sowed division. But at least for now, Zelensky has turned the table by “outmaneuvering his nemesis.” The images of the two presidents stand in stark contrast.
As an example of how Zelensky has used his iPhone to record video messages to both Ukrainians and the world, he posted this as Russia tried to spread a rumor that he had fled the country.
On social media, it has been interesting to watch the development of messages the Zelensky government wants to promote. One of the most powerful has been the one about how to react to captured Russian soldiers. Early on, the government announced that it had set up a hotline for the mothers of Russian soldiers captured or killed in Ukraine. Here is Zelensky’s message:
During a meeting of the General Assembly, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UN read the last text messages between a Russian soldier and his mother.
As a result, here is how the people of Ukraine are responding:
When offered a chance to leave Ukraine by the U.S. government, Zelensky is quoted as saying, “The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride.” That is precisely how memes like this come to dominate social media:
Regardless of what happens to Zelensky in the end, books will be written about this comedian-turned-president who so effectively led his people in resistance to the Russian military.
But let’s not forget that he knew exactly what he was doing and found a way to inspire both the citizens of his country and the world with his authenticity and courage.
If Putin isn’t deposed and Russia can survive sanctions, Zelensky and the Ukrainian fighters need to fade into the background before their cities are totally devestated and do to Russia what all patriots do to occupiers: resist until they are victorious.
Zelensky is definitely a good leader, and Ukraine will need him more as a leader than as a martyr.
When I first heard of Zelenskyy my first thought was one of skepticism. Celebrities in my experience tend to make awful leaders. I thought his handling of the Trump era, which was a minefield in its own right, was as solid as one could expect. Now he is front and center on what is very likely the beginnings of the next world war. His resolve and courage have been above and beyond what I suspect many would have expected (myself included). Like n1cholas, I agree that we need him alive as a leader rather than as a martyr. This may not have been the role he expected, but he rose to the occasion, and inspired so many in the process. I’ll say this – after Russian troops recklessly attacked one Ukrainian nuclear powerplant and are on the way to doing so with another, I’m not sure that the arguments against a no fly zone in at least those areas that Ukraine holds are valid. If NATO cannot or will not impose a no fly zone, at the very least NATO has an obligation to supply Ukrainian pilots with fresh planes so that they can do what needs to be done. Based on what Lukashenka wants, it is clear to me that this offensive does not stop at Ukraine. Our eastern European allies are in Putin’s cross-hairs, and Putin is a nihilist. Let’s get real, get involved, and support the troops.
Zelensky and the Ukrainian fighters can’t fade into the background. The way to save Ukrainian cities was to let the Russians succeed with their original plan. Zelensky was supposed to flee to form a government in exile. Putin planned to install a puppet and ride out the storm of global outrage.
We applaud Zelensky for his leadership and courage – all Ukrainians really, because Zelensky is leading them in the direction they want to go – but he knew the price his country was going to pay for the decision to fight. Tens of thousands of deaths and cities turned to rubble.
The good news is the Russians are going to lose. The media is still playing this like the plucky Ukrainians are holding out heroically but sooner or later they will be overwhelmed. I think that is wrong. Putin can pour in the artillery fire, but he can’t win without taking Kyiv and that is a hopeless task given that the Ukrainians decided to fight.
What will Putin do when this fiasco stays bogged down more or less in place? How long can he sustain a stalemate? How long can we sit on the sidelines watching him pound the Ukraine from afar? I’ve long believed that Putin was a smarter Trump. A cunning narcissist. If Trump was on the other side holding thousands of nukes and facing a humiliating defeat…
I don’t know what Trump would do and I don’t know what Putin will do. This is all scary bad to me, not because Putin is going to get away with it but because he is going to get his ass handed to him.