Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician, comedian, and actor who became the sixth president of Ukraine in 2019. He was born on January 25, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih, a city in central Ukraine. Zelenskyy grew up in a Jewish family and graduated from the Kyiv National Economic University.
Before entering politics, Zelenskyy was a successful comedian, actor, and producer. He co-founded the comedy troupe Kvartal 95, which produced several popular television shows, films, and live performances. Zelenskyy became famous for his role in the Ukrainian television series "Servant of the People," where he played a high school teacher who accidentally becomes the president of Ukraine.
In 2018, Zelenskyy announced his candidacy for the presidency of Ukraine, running as an independent candidate. His campaign focused on combating corruption and reforming the Ukrainian political system. Despite having no prior political experience, Zelenskyy managed to win the presidential election in a landslide victory, defeating the incumbent president, Petro Poroshenko.
After taking office in May 2019, Zelenskyy faced numerous challenges, including an ongoing conflict with Russia in eastern Ukraine, a struggling economy, and widespread corruption. He also faced criticism for his lack of political experience and for appointing several inexperienced advisers and ministers to his cabinet.