Hi, This is Hot Mic and I’m Nidhi Razdan. It’s been almost a month since Russia invaded Ukraine. And within the midst of the horrors of battle, a brand new and unlikely hero has emerged. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, has turn into the face of resistance to the mighty authoritarian Putin. He is the image of resolve proven by the folks of Ukraine who’re preventing a David versus Goliath battle. Zelensky has addressed the US Congress the place he received a standing ovation “Thank you for your support”. The British parliament, the place once more, he received a standing ovation and European Union MPs within the European Union parliament.

The 44-year-old Zelensky started his profession as an actor and a comic. Born right into a Jewish household, Zelensky spoke fluent Russian like most Ukrainians do. Zelensky had relations who have been killed within the Holocaust. His grandfather fought within the Soviet military towards Nazi Germany. In 2006, Zelensky was the winner of the primary season of Ukraine’s model of ‘Dancing With The Stars’. Those dancing clips have actually gone viral on social media these days. But he was greatest recognized, maybe, for his position on a TV comedy referred to as ‘The Servant Of The People’, the place he performed a foul-mouthed instructor who unexpectedly turns into president after a video of his rant towards corruption within the authorities goes viral. Sounds acquainted?

When he ran for president in 2019, he in truth embraced the title of his tv present for his occasion’s title and defeated the previous Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, with greater than 70% of the vote. Despite the overwhelming win within the elections, nevertheless, many in Europe didn’t take Zelensky significantly at first. According to a bit in The New Yorker, many European officers initially considered Zelensky as non-serious and mentioned that the primary impressions of him have been horrible. But as soon as he was in workplace, he received all the way down to enterprise straightaway. His key marketing campaign guarantees have been to crack down on corruption and to finish the navy battle with Russia within the nation’s japanese provinces. Amongst the primary issues he did was to take away the immunity that members of parliament in Ukraine loved in order that they might be prosecuted in corruption instances. He additionally ended VIP tradition. He lower down his motorcade to only two vehicles and ensured that there have been no sirens blaring both. And he ordered authorities officers to take away his footage as a result of he was the president and as an alternative change them with footage of their kids in order to remind them what was at stake so far as their work is worried. Zelensky wasn’t afraid to say at the moment that he was studying on the job, that he was new to this and knew little or no about what he was imagined to do.

One of probably the most outstanding issues about Zelensky throughout this battle has been the truth that he has refused to go away Ukraine and refused to go away his folks. Even now. It’s an enormous distinction with, for instance, what occurred in Afghanistan solely lately. He has remained steadfastly within the capital Kyiv, rallying the nation by way of videotaped speeches, a lot of them on the streets together with his personal cellphone. In his speech earlier than the invasion, Zelensky was seen sporting a swimsuit and a tie. But as soon as the battle really began, he turned into a inexperienced navy shirt, which he wears even now to handle the worldwide neighborhood. Pictures have additionally proven him visiting wounded troopers within the hospital. Now, all of this comes with nice threat as a result of Zelensky can be the prime primary goal for Russian forces who would search to assassinate him. But he has ventured out of his workplace and his house regardless of these dangers.

His speeches to Western legislatures have made him a people hero everywhere in the world. In the UK parliament, as an example, he invoked Shakespeare and the phrases of Winston Churchill, telling British MPs “We won’t hand over and we won’t lose. We will battle to the top within the sea, within the air. We will battle for our land, regardless of the prices. We will battle within the forests, within the fields, on the shores, within the streets”. He received a standing ovation with Prime Minister Boris Johnson stating that the Ukrainian president had moved the hearts of everyone on this House.

Whatever occurs now, Zelensky has turned out to be a brave chief in occasions of nice problem and tragedy. And that may at all times stay his legacy.