Early life
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was born on January 25, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR, to Rimma Zelenska and Oleksandr Zelenskyj. He attended Kryvyi Rih Lyceum 95 and later earned a law degree from the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics.
Володимир Олександрович Зеленський
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Awards
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the 6th President of Ukraine, was elected in 2019 after playing the president on the comedy series Servant of the People. He won 73.22% of the vote in the second round. Since the 2022 Russian invasion, he has become a global symbol of resistance and has received numerous honors including the Time Person of the Year.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Volodymyr Zelenskyy — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was born on January 25, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR, to Rimma Zelenska and Oleksandr Zelenskyj. He attended Kryvyi Rih Lyceum 95 and later earned a law degree from the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics.
Zelenskyy created the production company Kvartal 95, which produced the television series Servant of the People 2015, where he played President Vasiliy Petrovich Goloborodko. The show’s popularity led to the creation of a political party with the same name in March 2018. Zelenskyy announced his candidacy on December 31, 2018, and won the presidency in 2019 with 73.22% of the vote, defeating incumbent Petro Poroshenko.
As an actor, he appeared in films such as 8 First Dates 2012 and Office Romance. Our time 2011. He also provided the Ukrainian voice for Paddington Bear in Paddington 2014 and Paddington 2 2017. During his presidency, he has led Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion and was named Time Person of the Year in 2022.
Zelenskyy is married to Olena Zelenska, and they have two children: Kyrylo Zelenskyi and Oleksandra Zelenska. His parents are Rimma Zelenska and Oleksandr Zelenskyj. He stands 5 feet 6 inches 1.67 m tall.
Zelenskyy has received numerous international awards including the Time Person of the Year 2022, the Sakharov Prize, and the Charlemagne Prize. He was honored with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour and the Order of the White Eagle. In 2022, a road in Harlow, Essex was renamed Zelenskyy Avenue. He also became the first foreign leader to address the UK Parliament by videolink in March 2022. Zelenskyy is remembered as a president who stood firm against Russian aggression and inspired global unity.
Browse the complete filmography of Volodymyr Zelenskyy — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
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Every award, honor, and recognition received by Volodymyr Zelenskyy — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
A wall of memorable lines from Volodymyr Zelenskyy — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
The Fight Is Here; I Need Ammunition, Not a Ride
What Is Russia Doing Now? It Is Trying to Set a Precedent. If It Manages to Break the Statehood of the Neighboring Nation, Other States Will Do the Same. What Is Ukraine Doing Now with Its Partners? Trying to Set Another Precedent. so That All the Aggressors in the World Once and for All See That the War Will Create the Biggest Problems for Them for the Aggressors. so That They Know That the Hatred They Spread Against Ordinary People Like You and Me, Against Other Nations, Will Strike First and Foremost at Themselves When the Free World Refuses to Deal with Those Who Spread Such Hatred. This Is a Very Transparent Process of Struggle. and Everyone Chooses a Role in It.
Ruscism Respects Neither State Borders nor Human Values.
When Any Tyrant Hates America and Denies Its Exceptional Role in the Struggle for Freedom, He Recognizes His Own Inevitable Defeat. to Russian Tyranny I Say the World Needs More, Not Less, American Exceptionalism.
Little-known facts about Volodymyr Zelenskyy — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
He served as the on-screen president of Ukraine for three seasons on Servant of the People 2015 before being elected to the same office in 2019.
In March 2022, he made a speech appealing to Britain’s parliament for aid during the war in Ukraine. He was the first foreign leader to address the chamber directly by videolink, as he had refused to leave Kyiv.
He has served as President of Ukraine since 2019.
A road in Harlow, Essex was renamed Zelenskyy Avenue, the UK’s first road named after the President of Ukraine, in tribute to his leadership.
An alternative spelling of his name sometimes used is Volodymyr Zelensky.
He provided the Ukrainian voice for Paddington Bear in both Paddington 2014 and Paddington 2 2017.
He was named one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2022, recognized for his bravery and resilience in leading Ukraine during the war.
On June 8, 2022, he accepted the Legend in Leadership Award from the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Volodymyr Zelenskyy.