“I am target number 1, my wife and children number 2,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address, shared on social media on Thursday, February 24.
The Ukrainian president thus claimed that when war was declared between his country and Russia, the Soviet special forces had orders to kill his clan.
Faced with such a threat, his wife Olena Zelenska also refused to be intimidated.
“Today I will not panic or shed tears,” she wrote in an Instagram post, posted on Thursday, February 24.
I will be calm and confident.”
Before adding: “My children look at me.
I will stand by their side.
And with my husband.
And of the Ukrainian people.”
This is the first time that the head of state's wife has publicly and explicitly mentioned the Russian invasion.
Olena Zelenska also affirmed that she would remain in Kiev, despite the danger hanging over her in the capital.
Eight years of conquest
A true pillar of the Head of State, Olena Zelenska has continued, over the years, to show him her unwavering support.
And this, long before her husband took the head of the country.
Born February 6, 1978 in Kryvyi Rih, this 44-year-old former screenwriter once wrote comic sketches for Volodymyr Zelensky when he was an actor.
Before becoming his image consultant, in 2019, after his accession to power.
Their romance, however, was by no means obvious.
When Volodymyr Zelensky met Olena Kiyashko - his maiden name - both were students at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at Kryvyi Rih University.
But the young woman is already engaged to another.
No matter: for eight years, her suitor strives to conquer her.
His efforts will be crowned with success.
Olena Kiyasho left her fiancé and interrupted her studies in architecture to follow him to the studios of the production company Kvartal 95. The couple married on September 6, 2003. They gave birth to two children: Oleksandra, in 2004, and Kyrylo, in 2013.
Change of direction
Having become an author and producer, the young bride created the “Liga Smichu”, a program acclaimed by Ukrainians, in which comedians compete against a backdrop of jokes and social satire.
At the same time, Olena Zelenska is launching “Women of Kvartal”, a program in which she gives voice to women in the profession.
His screenwriting career is at its peak.
That of her husband is no longer enough for her.
During their discussions, Volodymyr Zelensky often evokes the journey of Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger, former actors who became leading politicians.
The actor no longer just wants to shine on the small screen: he intends to shine on the international scene.
When he talks about the wish to stand in the presidential election, Olena Zelenska is reluctant to say the least.
“I was totally against it, she confided to
Corriere della Sera,
in May 2019. And I told her so in a very brutal way.”
Before continuing: "For me, this was not a project, but a total change of course in our lives."
shadow woman
The actor nevertheless ends up convincing her.
“When I understood that he was serious, and would do everything to protect our family, I supported him”, specifies Olena Zelenska.
In 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was elected President of Ukraine.
Since then, the first lady has not been idle.
It was she who found Volodymyr Zelensky, more at ease with Russian, her current Ukrainian teacher.
She again, who tells him how to dress during his appointments.
And she always, who reads her speeches and corrects them - "sometimes to excess", slips an anonymous witness into the columns of the Italian newspaper.
The one who hoped to “remain in the shadows” is now in the spotlight.
A notoriety which she intends to take advantage of.
"As soon as I became first lady of Ukraine, I realized the role I could play in supporting humanitarian and social causes that had already inspired me throughout my career," she said in the columns. from
The Diplomatic Courrier
, in September 2021. Now committed to gender equality, accessibility to culture and the fight against obesity, she has also just ventured into the field of diplomacy .
And could once again prove to be a valuable asset for her husband.
