As you can imagine, the young star could have said these words to a movie heroine: “You know, I’m certain you’re looking directly at me in that picture. You always see me that way.
The look I aspire to have is the standard for all women. Only true love can look this good. I always feel your love. You look great, and I am not afraid of any situation.
“We have a lot of work ahead. You must take good care of yourself. All we have together is to achieve all that we want. You are my best friend! Happy Birthday. You can count on me to be there for you. It’s as simple as that. Always!’
You would be mistaken. Olena Zelenska wrote these heartfelt words on January 25, to go with a black and white photo of Volodymyr Zelensky (the Ukrainian president), that she posted to Instagram on his birthday. They received little attention at the time.
The eyes of the world are on this incredible couple of Volodymyr Zelensky and Olena Zelenska, who have humbled us all with their resolve, patriotism and bravery — and drawn us in to their epic love story, which has spanned 27 years
But Russia invaded Ukraine just 30 days later. Now the eyes of the world are on this incredible couple, who have humbled us all with their resolve, patriotism and bravery — and drawn us in to their epic love story, which has spanned 27 years.
Both haven’t been afraid to share their feelings for each other through adoring posts on social media.
Olena, in one of her January 2020 posts, describes a real man who gave her butterflies and made her whole; a lover who was there for her when she wasn’t and whose shared dreams destroyed any fear. ‘Safe. Cosy. Always interesting, never calm. This is what you get when you are surrounded by a true man, she wrote. “The man you can trust in all things.”
Volodymyr wrote to Olena last February for her birthday: ‘I like the way that you think. Thanks for being here. . . You are my truthful, funny, and beautiful eyes. Without you, I would not be who I am today. . . We are grateful for all your efforts.
It is amazing to see their body language. Olena shares multiple images of her husband and his wife on Instagram. They are smiling side-by-side, holding hands, wearing superhero faces, and sharing their joy with the children.
They seem indestructible. They need one another more than ever. Olena is forced to hide, and she swaps suits for speeches, hearing the sirens of the air-raid sirens. Olena also knows that Vladimir Putin has ‘targeted her for death’.
But she rose to the role of Putin’s target number two with remarkable bravery. She refused to flee Ukraine with the children, and her grace under fire has galvanized Ukraine as well as the rest the civilized world.
Olena (44), wrote this on Instagram just hours after Russia attacked Ukraine two weeks ago: “I won’t panic or cry.” I will remain calm and confident. They are watching me. They will see me. My husband, too. I’m with you.
So how has this mother of two — a limelight-loathing writer who was ‘not too happy’ when her husband announced he was running for president — managed to maintain such extraordinary resolve? How did she win the admiration and respect of the Western world as a former comedian?
Mail uncovers a compelling love story that Olena has mapped online, but little-read interviews in Ukrainian media over the years.
Olena is just twelve days younger than Volodymyr. Olena was also raised in the abandoned mining town Kryvyi Rih, central Ukraine. The pair did not meet at the same school. He revealed his love for her by saying, “It was only our last school day that it hit me.”
Olena continued to study architecture while Volodymyr went on and studied law at Kryvyi Rih National University.
As a newly enrolled undergraduate in 1995, he bumped into Olena on the street and asked to borrow a video she was carrying — despite having watched the film eight times before — in order to have an excuse to ask for her phone number so he could arrange to return it. The romance blossomed with Volodymyr telling how he fell in love deeply and irrevocably.
Olena was just 12 days older than Volodymyr. She was raised in Kryvyi Rih, a former mining community in central Ukraine.
In 1997, Olena joined him in creating Kvartal 95 Production Company, with the hope of making a career out of comedy. The couple created scripts in their last year of university to make fun of the Ukrainian political system and lampoon corruption.
Kvartal 95 quickly expanded and gained hundreds of colleagues and friends. The couple got married after they had traveled across Ukraine and the former Soviet Union to perform.
Their 17-year old daughter, was born July the next year. The couple later moved to Kyiv.
Volodymyr, who was then a star in television shows in Ukraine, appeared in the first episode of Dancing With The Stars.
Olena seemed to be left out of the equation as his star shot up. She recently recalled, “There was a time when I had to step aside.” . . He was always an avid workaholic.
“And when you’re doing creative work and you have a lot to learn from, it makes you realize that you might be less interesting than you think. . . He and I were patient enough to get through it, so everything was smooth.
There was a rising sense of disillusionment at the pain of the Ukrainians, beyond the marital sacrifice. After the 2014 election of Petro Poroshenko to the presidency, the country became increasingly authoritarian. She said that this is why she decided to take action to save democracy.
“When television channels were taken under leadership control, it was clear that we knew that we wouldn’t be able to continue in the same way as Russia if they didn’t take action.”
Both were devastated when Russian-backed separatists started war to annex the Crimean peninsula that year — the year after their son, now nine, was born.
Olena explained that Volodymyr arrived home, and he looked sad at our children. “I asked Volodymyr to be calm; it was time to act.”
Volodymyr was a star in Servant Of The People from 2015 to 2016. He played the role of Holoborodko in this TV series. This character is a historian who unexpectedly becomes president following a viral video. Show’s satire made Poroshenko, as well Putin, the targets.
While Volodymyr performed shows for soldiers at the front, Volena was home and Olena left. These performances were ‘written with heart’ yet put Olena’s family in danger. Following death threats and a sketch that featured Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov crying, Volodymyr hired security.
Olena eventually gave up on her protection, but kept my children safe.
Kvartal 95 founded Servant Of the People in 2017. It was created to keep others from using its name for “cynical purposes”. However, it quickly emerged as a serious contender. Olena was initially aggressive in her opposition to the husband’s ambitions for political power, as ‘everything will change’.
He allegedly told her that he only discovered she was running for President after reading the article on social media. She laughed and added, “We have been talking about this for some time, and I promised I would always be there for him.”
Their son, then six, was underwhelmed by his dad’s new career path — ‘he’s more concerned whether he will be able to play with him today’ — while their daughter was distraught.
Olena said that Olena didn’t want her dad to look like these elite politicians she saw on TV.
She sobbed, and then said: ‘How will you get me to school? Thank God, the school was normal. There were weak jokes about this topic, but that was all.
Olena was home when Crimea annexed 2014, while Volodymyr performed shows for front-line soldiers. These performances were ‘written with heart’ and put the lives of her family at risk.
Her husband’s devotion to her children’s is something she can’t describe. “It is important to me how a man treats children, and I thank God that it’s easy for me.
But, Volodymyr’s win in May 2019 by a huge margin must have been a profound change in her life.
A sudden, her life was constantly interrupted. “I don’t have enough time to be alone. . . My only refuge is the bathroom.
It was difficult for her to preserve normality. She encouraged her husband to walk to the office. ‘Why not? The Dutch prime minister rides a bike to work.
As a fashion icon she is thrust into the spotlight as an icon of fashion. She wanted to highlight Ukrainian talent such as Elenareva’s suit she wore when she met Brigitte Macron. I am happy to answer their questions in New York, Paris and London about the designer of my outfit. Ukrainian Vogue was pleasantly surprised that she answered the question.
“What a wonderful thing to bring Ukrainian designers into the international spotlight.”
She has maintained her screenwriting career but she understands that being First Lady means she is able to ‘take on important social problems’.
She has worked to reform nutrition in Ukraine’s schools, and she campaigned against domestic abuse. In 2019, she gave a speech to the Ukrainian Women’s Congress. She supported Paralympic athletes, and defended free speech.
While she insists she doesn’t have the right “to interfere in the President’s work”, she has never been afraid to disagree with Volodymyr. ‘He criticises me too. She once stated that they criticize each other.
The couple’s friends have shared that they are so close, they understand one another without saying a word. Yet despite her gushing social media posts, she eschews romance.
She said, “And I don’t like surprises. I’m afraid of them. Because his imagination is endless.”
“He doesn’t know how relax. It only appears that he’s so happy, a joker. But when we’re on vacation, he let go after the third day.
She’s been there to support her husband throughout it all.
Both of them have tried unsuccessfully to avoid reading the comments on their social media accounts. These glamorous photos from social media are now gone. She instead posts reminders of war to her 2.5million Instagram followers.
Her heartbreaking images show young people with cancer being forced from Ukraine to flee shelling. She also shares photos of children who were evacuated from hospitals to receive treatment in bomb shelters.
Photos of the children she has lost in recent weeks are also included. She is certain that they will be remembered. Open letter titled “I Testify” . . ‘ She condemned Russia’s involvement in the death of countless people on March 8.
“Eight year old Alice died on the streets of Okhtyrka. Her grandfather attempted to save her.
“Polina” from Kyiv, who was killed in the bombardment with her family. Arsenji (14 years old), in a peaceful neighborhood of the capital. . . Because of heavy gunfire, the ambulance was unable to reach these people.
“When Russia states that it is not fighting civilians, I raise my hand and call first the names of these children.
Olena, despite the fact that others might have given up, has led the way, making her impact stronger than ever as she fights to protect the country and the man she loves.