The video discusses the life and presidency of Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine. Born in 1978, Zelensky was a comedian and actor who became famous in Ukraine for his satire and comedy shows. He played a president in a popular TV show, "Servant of the People," where he portrayed a high school teacher who becomes president and fights corruption. In 2019, Zelensky announced his real-life presidential bid and won with 73% of the vote, promising to fight corruption and end the war in Donbass.
However, the video also highlights Zelensky's controversies, including his failure to deliver on his campaign promises, his authoritarian traits, and his murky business dealings. The Pandora Papers exposed Zelensky's offshore holdings, and he has been accused of banning TV stations and seizing power from oligarchs.
Despite these controversies, Zelensky has risen to the challenge of the Russian invasion, and his approval ratings are at an all-time high. The video concludes that while Zelensky may be a hero to some, it is too early to say how history will judge him.
Overall, the video provides a nuanced portrayal of Zelensky, highlighting both his strengths and weaknesses, and encouraging viewers to look beyond the Western media's portrayal of him as a hero.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Volodymyr Zelensky is the President of Ukraine.
2. Zelensky was born in 1978.
3. He grew up in the town of Kryviy Rih, Ukraine.
4. Zelensky's father was a computer science professor.
5. His mother was an engineer.
6. Zelensky studied law.
7. He built a career in comedy.
8. Zelensky's comedy troop was named the 95th quarter or quartal 95.
9. He performed at Viktor Yanukovych's birthday party.
10. Zelensky declared he did not want anything to do with Russia after Crimea was annexed in 2014.
11. His troop cut all ties with the Russian market and donated one million hryvnia to the Ukrainian army.
12. Zelensky was a successful producer and had a fancy office in Kiev.
13. He bought a 15-room villa in Tuscany, which he never declared during his presidential campaign.
14. By 2012, Zelensky was sitting on some 15 million dollars.
15. He started work on his most successful show, a sitcom called Servant of the People.
16. The show ran from 2015 to 2019.
17. In the final hours of 2018, Zelensky announced that he would run for office.
18. He had no experience but two big promises: to fight corruption and confront Ukraine's oligarchs, and to end the war in Donbass.
19. Zelensky declared he did not need experience to be president, just to be a decent human being.
20. 73% of Ukrainian voters supported him.
21. He assumed office on May 2, 2019.
22. Zelensky installed friends in high offices.
23. The war in Donbass has not ended and has escalated into Europe's biggest crisis since World War II.
24. At least 1,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, and over 15,000 people have been injured.
25. At least 3 million people have fled Ukraine.
26. Zelensky has become the most popular politician in the US.
27. He announced his election bid on live television on New Year's Eve.
28. He once held a 14-hour-long press conference at a food market.
29. The Pandora Papers have exposed Zelensky's murky businesses.
30. Zelensky has offshore holdings in the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus, and Belize.
31. He has banned three TV stations in Ukraine.
32. Zelensky dismissed a general prosecutor in 2020 because he reportedly refused to pursue cases that helped the president's cause.
33. A governor of a national bank was removed because he was not loyal enough.
34. The deputy governor was removed because she had raised concerns about the bank's independence.
35. Zelensky has failed to deliver his biggest campaign promise: there is no peace in Donbass.
36. Zelensky may have underplayed warnings of the war.
37. He spends his days in bunkers, cheering his forces, and appearing on TV.
38. He has the support of his voters, and his approval ratings are at an all-time high.