"Putin hates Zelenskyy": childhood, street gangs, TV career - biographer talks about the Ukrainian president
Created: 07/12/2022, 08:06
By: Klaus Rimpel
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is leading his country in the war.
© President Of Ukraine/ZUMA Press Wire Service/dpa
Wojciech Rogacin writes, among other things, about the childhood of the Ukrainian President.
In the interview, the journalist describes how this shaped Selenskyj's character.
Munich – In the Ukraine war, the former comedian became one of the currently most important figures in world politics.
The Polish journalist Wojciech Rogacin has now written a biography of President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, which also sheds light on the importance of his childhood in a southern Ukrainian working-class town for his astonishing development
(Europa Verlag, 240 pages, 20 euros)
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Our newspaper spoke to Zelenskyi's biographer.
Wojciech Rogacin is writing a biography of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
© europa-verlag
From clown to president – that's how most people see Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But what traits of the Ukrainian president are already present in his childhood?
Even before Selenskyj went into politics, he was more than just a comedian: he managed a very successful entertainment company with more than 300 employees, and in some TV productions even more than 2000 employees.
His childhood in Kryvyi Rih prepared him for this role as a leader.
This is an industrial city in the south of Ukraine with many mines, the inhabitants are mostly workers.
There were street gangs that young Zelenskyj had to fight against – that made him strong, that made him a man who never shies away from a fight and is loyal to the group.
Kryvyi Rih is a southern Ukrainian city where Russian is the main language spoken.
Selenskyj is known through TV series
The TV series Servant of the People, in which Zelenskyi plays a teacher who becomes President of Ukraine, was also extremely successful in Russia. How much does this series shape the Russians' image of Zelenskyy?
For the Russians, Zelenskyy is still just an actor.
That's why they don't take him seriously - even Vladimir Putin underestimated Zelenskyy and thought that this comedian would be easy to manipulate.
How much of the hero of the TV series is in the real Zelenskyy?
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For Ukrainians, “Servant of the People” was an illustration of their dream: they dreamed of a president who is an average man from the common people, cleaning up the oligarchs and corruption.
I think, even though Zelenskyy denies that he had already applied for the presidency with this TV series.
Also a success in Russia: Volodymyr Zelenskyj in a scene from “Servant of the People”.
© Arte/dpa
And then did he disappoint people?
Yes, people were expecting a Messiah, so they were bound to be disappointed.
But even the promises made by Zelenskyi in the election campaign were partly unrealistic.
Zelenskyy was elected with around 70 percent of the votes.
But before the war approval for him had dropped to 30 percent.
Two months before the war he introduced an anti-oligarch law to regain popularity, but that didn't really work either.
Zelenskyj is now enjoying broad support from his people
Is the war president also played by the actor Zelenskyj?
Of course, his experience as an actor helps him in communication.
But more important is his childhood character as one who is loyal and doesn't run away.
His father advised him: If you find yourself in a difficult situation, just behave as an honorable man should behave.
And never pretend that you are better than you are, you can show your weaknesses, but stay yourself. He follows this advice.
And that's how he became a hero for Ukrainians.
More than 90 percent of Ukrainians support him today.
Will Putin ever accept a peace deal with Ukraine while Zelenskyy is in power?
Putin will only accept a peace treaty if his troops are in serious militarily difficulties.
But as long as he hopes to win the war, he will do everything to destroy Ukraine and Zelenskyy.
Putin hates Zelenskyy and sees his removal or death as one of his key war goals.
The interview was conducted by Klaus Rimpel.
