In the early days of the war in Ukraine, the president Volodymyr Zhelensky Identified himself as “Target No. 1” of Russian forces, Said his family would be “No. 2” and he was in the country. In the presidential family, on the cusp of Vladimir Putin’s cross-chairs, according to the President of Ukraine, the country’s first lady, former screenwriter, has become an activist for the rights of women and children. “Ukraine is a peaceful country. We are anti-war, do not attack first. But we will not give up. ” WroteOn social networks, this Tuesday.
Made on February 6, the 44-year-old first woman from Ukraine was born in the southeastern city of Krivi Rih. Olena and Volodymyr were born in the same year, 1978, and grew up in the same city. But they both get to know each other only when they study at the city university.
In 1995, the young woman began studying architecture at the Grivie Reich Institute of Economics, which published a short autobiography that was to be completed in 2000. At Site Of the Ukrainian Women’s Congress, and at that time she met Volodymyr, a law student who became famous as a comedian. The marriage took place eight years later, in 2003, the following year their first daughter, Olexandra, was born and is now 17 years old. They are the parents of nine-year-old Kirillo, who was celebrated in January. Since their marriage, the family has been living in Kiev, where they founded Studio Quartel 95, one of the country’s leading producers of entertainment shows.
Olena Zhelenska, who did not pursue a career as an architect, established herself as one of the leading screenwriters for the production company’s projects, including the successful series. Servant of the peopleWhere the husband shone Vasil Holoborodko on paperThe video of a humble high school history teacher, who became president of Ukraine, delivering a fiery speech against corruption has gone viral.
For this reason, the screenwriter did not take it seriously when Volodymyr started talking about his plans to run for president. “I was not very happy when I realized that those were the plans. I realized how much everything was going to change and the difficulties we were facing,” he admitted. For the Ukrainian edition of the magazine VogueIt was on the cover in 2019, six months after Volodymyr Zhelensky took office.
Active from the metaphor
In an interview (in which she is described as “punctual, smiling” and fluent in “excellent English”), on the first day of the year, Olena talks about her husband’s official candidacy through social media. The comedian decided to make an official announcement on the 1 + 1 channel show, and the news spread in all media until it reached that woman.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” When I asked him that, Volodymyr replied: “I forgot,” he recalled with humor. And, “my husband knows how to surprise me,” she says in a more humorous tone. “But seriously, we’ve been discussing this issue for some time and I said I would always support him,” he stressed.
Although he acknowledged that he was not a political figure at the time, he promised to become a mediator between “the people and the official establishment”, saying “he has no right to interfere in the work of the president.” She did: Despite the fact that the role of the first lady in Ukraine is merely representative (for example, like Portugal), Olena Zhelenska has not been hidden behind the scenes for a long time, giving her support to her husband. Continuing efforts. She was responsible for reforming the country’s school nutrition system and was a member of the G7 International Initiative for Gender Equality, Biarritz Partnership for Ukraine, thanks to her speech at the Third Ukrainian Women’s Congress. Volodymyr gave her back with confidence and coordinated her on the Art Arsenal team headed by the Minister of Culture. In its activities, it stands for the protection of women’s rights and the promotion of the Ukrainian language in the world.
So, it’s not surprising that the war scene helped Olena to accept her role even more strongly, giving voice to those most affected by the war who did not choose to fight, as happened last weekend. He shared a picture of a baby born in a Kiev shelter, covered in blankets. “It must have happened under completely different conditions, under a calm sky. This is what this baby should see,” he lamented: “Even after the war, there are doctors and people on the streets next to this baby, and I remember him being ‘protected and protected’. “We are the army, we are the army. And children born in shelters will live in a peaceful country where they can defend themselves,” he promised.
In the following issue, First Lady recalls that there are more than two million women in Ukraine, paying tribute to all those who left their homes to join the war front, to those who gave birth in shelters, and to those who continued to work. Essential services underscore the vital role they all play. “My incredible comrades, I appreciate you so much,” he complimented.
A new life
From an election to a war, with an epidemic in between, Olena will not have the uncomplicated first lady custom as described in 2019. Vogue. But in one respect she is right: her life will be different after her husband is chosen. However, at the time, as a mother of two, she felt little had changed: after all, before that, she only had time when she was driving alone. “Now they have taken it from me – I am always protected. The bathroom is my only rest,” he joked.
However, the first lady said that I’m lucky with those around her: “They are quiet when I need that peace, and they deal with it when they feel the need for conversation”. During the reign of peace, he believed that “life has not changed, only circumstances have changed” and the family tried to maintain a normal life as much as possible, especially thinking about their children.
The daughter, Olexandra, began to follow in her father’s footsteps, having already starred in some roles in television and film, although her mother hoped she would go the other way. “The younger, Guerrero, still has a chance at a normal childhood – playing with other kids, playing games, going to the conservatory, without attracting unnecessary attention,”, the screenwriter celebrated at the time.
At the end of 2019, she split her days between her actions as a production company studio quartel 95 and as the wife of the country’s president. “I may have continued to live my life away from the problems and attacks of the media, but I decided to support my husband.“Emotionally, it’s not easy for him, and he needs someone by his side,” he argued.
Among the actions it has supported over the past three years, social work stands out. “I grew up in Krivi Rih, I have lived in this country all my life and I realize how many problems we have. But I’m going to try to get everything, it does not work, so our team decided to focus on specific tasks: the health of children, equal opportunities for all Ukrainians. And diplomatic culture.
“Hardcore explorer. Extreme communicator. Professional writer. General music practitioner. Prone to fits of apathy.”