Who is Volodymyr Zelensky? The Ukrainian president’s journey from comedian to wartime leader

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken a surprising path from popular actor and comedian to a role as national leader. Several years ago, the 44-year-old appeared on Ukrainian television in a satirical comedy about a schoolteacher who is thrust into the role of president after his rant about politics was widely shared online. He would go on to run for the top job and won, but on February 24, 2022, faced his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin’s move to begin “special military operations” in Ukraine. As the Russian invasion gathered pace, Zelensky has been a prime target of Russian forces. But the Ukrainian leader has since been seen on the streets of Kyiv and on the front lines, refusing to leave. His powerful decision to stay and fight has garnered the respect of many in the country, and around the world.