Page 4 - Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukrainian President and Unlikely Hero

Introduction

Commitment,

Courage, and an

Indomitable Spirit

On February 24, 2022, news bulletins interrupted radio and
television programs around the world to report that Rus-
sian missiles had begun to rain down on various targets
in the nation of Ukraine. Situated directly west of Poland,
in eastern Europe, Ukraine is a former Soviet territory. In
1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Ukraine became
an independent nation. That had never sat well with Rus-
sian president Vladimir Putin. In his view, Ukraine had al-
ways been and should always be part of Russia. In February
2022, therefore, he launched an invasion designed to bring
the Ukrainians back into the Russian fold.

Putin’s Propaganda Blitz
In response to the incursion, Ukraine’s president, Volody-
myr Zelenskyy (sometimes also spelled Zelensky), hastily
marshaled his nation’s military forces. A former actor and
comedian, Zelenskyy had been elected president in 2019. It
was his rst foray into national politics. During his rst years
in of ce, critics questioned whether he was up to the task of
running a country. With the invasion underway, many wor-
ried that he lacked the experience and fortitude to deal with
a major political and military strongman like Putin.

44