Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician and former actor and comedian who has served as the sixth President of Ukraine since 2019. Famous at home for playing a fictional president on television, he won the real office in a landslide — and since February 2022 has led his country through Russia’s full-scale invasion.
| Full Name | Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy |
| Born | 25 January 1978, Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Age | 48 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | Ukrainian |
| Occupation | Politician, former actor and comedian |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Known For | President of Ukraine since 2019, Servant of the People (TV series), Kvartal 95 |
Early Life and Education
Zelenskyy was born in Kryvyi Rih, an industrial city in central Ukraine, to Jewish Ukrainian parents. His father, Oleksandr, is a professor of cybernetics; his mother, Rymma, worked as an engineer. He spent part of his early childhood in Mongolia, where his father worked, before returning to Kryvyi Rih. He studied law at the Kryvyi Rih branch of Kyiv National Economic University, graduating in 2000, though he never practised law professionally.
Comedy Career: Kvartal 95 and Servant of the People
At 17 Zelenskyy joined Ukraine’s KVN comedy competition circuit, and in 2003 he co-founded the production company Kvartal 95 (Studio Quarter 95), which became one of Ukraine’s most successful entertainment businesses, producing hit comedy shows and films across Ukraine and Russia. His most famous role came in Servant of the People (2015–2019), a satirical series in which he played Vasyl Holoborodko, a schoolteacher who unexpectedly becomes President of Ukraine after a rant against corruption goes viral.
Election and Presidency
In 2018 a political party was registered under the name Servant of the People, and Zelenskyy announced his candidacy on New Year’s Eve. Campaigning largely through social media on an anti-corruption platform, he won the April 2019 runoff against incumbent Petro Poroshenko with about 73 per cent of the vote, and was inaugurated in May 2019. His party also won a parliamentary majority that year. His early presidency pursued anti-corruption reforms and sought a settlement in the Donbas conflict, where fighting with Russian-backed forces had continued since 2014.
Wartime Leadership
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Zelenskyy remained in Kyiv and became the public face of Ukraine’s defence, addressing foreign parliaments by video link and fronting nightly addresses to Ukrainians. Ukraine’s constitution provides for martial law during the war, under which elections have been postponed. Zelenskyy was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2022, and his signature olive-green military-style clothing became an internationally recognised symbol of the wartime presidency.
Personal Life
Zelenskyy married Olena Kiptelova, a school classmate who worked as a writer at Kvartal 95, in 2003; she is now First Lady of Ukraine and leads a foundation focused on humanitarian and children’s causes. The couple have two children, a daughter born in 2004 and a son born in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Volodymyr Zelenskyy?
He was born on 25 January 1978, making him 48 years old in 2026.
What did Zelenskyy do before politics?
He was one of Ukraine’s most popular comedians and actors, co-founding the Kvartal 95 studio and starring in Servant of the People.
When did Zelenskyy become president?
He won the April 2019 runoff with about 73 per cent of the vote and took office in May 2019.
Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s wife?
Olena Zelenska, a former screenwriter and now First Lady of Ukraine; they married in 2003.
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Net worth and salary figures are estimates based on publicly available sources and may change over time.
