Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrates his 47th birthday: interesting facts and unknown details from his biography

25 January 02:20

Today, on January 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrates his birthday – he turns 47. [ Komersant publishes interesting facts and unknown details from the president’s biography on his birthday.

Zelenskyy celebrates his birthday for the sixth time as head of state, and the third time in the context of a full-scale Russian invasion.

His life story is known to many, but there are interesting facts that add depth to his biography.

Early years and education

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was born on January 25, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro region.

Interestingly, he spent the first four years of his school life in the Mongolian city of Erdenet, where his parents worked as contract laborers.

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After returning to Kryvyi Rih, Volodymyr continued his studies at gymnasium #95, where he was actively involved in amateur activities and showed leadership qualities.

In 1995, he entered the Kyiv National Economic University, where he majored in law. However, a legal career did not become his calling.

Career in show business

During his student years, Zelensky joined the KVN team Zaporizhzhia-Kryvyi Rih-Transit, and later created his own team, 95th Quarter. This team quickly gained popularity by competing in the KVN Premier League.

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After completing their participation in the KVN, the 95th Quarter transformed into a studio that created the popular show Evening Quarter, where Zelenskyy was the main actor and scriptwriter.

Political career

On New Year’s Eve 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his intention to run for the presidency of Ukraine.

His election campaign was innovative – the presidential candidate communicated with voters through social media, avoiding traditional political technologies.

In the election, he won 73.22% of the vote, which was one of the highest results in the history of Ukraine.

Personal life

Since 2003, Volodymyr has been married to Olena Kiyashko, with whom he studied at the same school, but met only during their student years.

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The couple has two children: daughter Oleksandra (born in 2008) and son Kyrylo (born in 2013).

Interesting facts

  • As a child, Zelensky dreamed of becoming a border guard:

“Now I am not a border guard, but I also defend our state,” the president said.

  • While studying at university, he received a grant to study in Israel, but refused it.
  • From 2004 to 2019, he played roles in 18 feature films and TV series as an actor. Among the most popular: “Love in the City, Rzhevsky vs. Napoleon, and Servant of the People.
  • In 2019, Time magazine included Zelenskyy in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Changes during the presidency

The period of Zelenskyy’s presidency came at a time of difficult challenges for Ukraine, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-scale invasion of Russia in 2022. These events significantly affected his performance and image as a leader of the nation.

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Zelenskyy has become the voice of Ukraine on the international stage. His speeches in the U.S. Congress, the European Parliament, and at global forums have mobilized support for Ukraine.

In 2022, Zelenskyy was repeatedly featured on the covers of leading global publications, including Time and the Financial Times, which recognized him as “Person of the Year.”

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Дзвенислава Карплюк
Editor