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.
Ukrainian vs. Russian leadership pic.twitter.com/lOAVQKgtMi
— Gennady Rudkevich (@grudkev) February 28, 2022
Two presidents meet with their respective defence ministers. pic.twitter.com/R16wtp6B8C
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) February 27, 2022
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.
"The president is here." President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine posted a video on social media showing him standing alongside other government officials, saying that the country’s leaders had not fled Kyiv as Russian forces entered the city. https://t.co/VPxc01QGAG pic.twitter.com/F91xlEp7we
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 25, 2022
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:
“Our soldiers, our border guards, even simple farmers are capturing Russian soldiers, and all of them are saying the same thing. They don’t know why they are here. These are not warriors of a superpower. These are confused children who have been used.”pic.twitter.com/FdGokVcS29
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) March 3, 2022
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.
Video shared on Ukrainian channels of a captured Russian soldier apparently being fed by locals. The post says he burst into tears when he was allowed to video-call his mother. So many of these troops are just teenagers, with absolutely no clue what this war is really for. pic.twitter.com/oCPUC8cKcO
— Matthew Luxmoore (@mjluxmoore) March 2, 2022
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:
This is what leadership looks like. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/7OAORiAnoG
— IndivisibleWestchester🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@IndivisWstchr) February 26, 2022
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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exemplifies this quote from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night:
— The Intellectualist (@highbrow_nobrow) February 26, 2022
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." pic.twitter.com/8YmJeckdSs
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.
Many thanks to Nancy LeTourneau for assembling this important article on Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. 'So Much More....' describes amply the deep soul of this leader. It would not surprise me to find in the near future other leaders of western nations beginning to adopt his methods and pieces of his persona. How much has he accomplished with fact-laden quiet in-person presence? Such a difference from other 'leaders' who evidence none of this. Americans---time for us all to recognize the power he has created with his unassuming manners and his forthright words. Thanks for doing this, Nancy.
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