How Zelensky became Ukraine's president in 2019

by Daria Shulzhenko April 16, 2024 3:54 PM 1 min read

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It's been five years since Volodymyr Zelensky, then the country's best-known comedian, became Ukraine's president. Outside Ukraine, few remember the wild campaign that landed Zelensky a seat in the president's office. Watch the Kyiv Independent's recap of Zelensky's funny, groundbreaking campaign that resulted in a landslide victory for the now much more serious president.

Daria Shulzhenko

Reporter

Daria Shulzhenko is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She has been a lifestyle reporter at the Kyiv Post until November 2021. She graduated from Kyiv International University with a bachelor’s in linguistics, specializing in translation from English and German languages. She has previously worked as a freelance writer and researcher.Read more

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2:14 AM

White House can't comment on timing and delivery of US aid to Ukraine.

The delivery of military aid to Ukraine continues, but the White House cannot comment on the timing and volume of deliveries due to operational security concerns, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on April 29.

1:23 AM

Russian forces attack 7 communities in Sumy Oblast, damaging a school.

Russian forces attacked seven communities along the Sumy Oblast border on April 29, destroying a school building, the regional military administration reported. At least 73 explosions were recorded.

12:06 AM

German ex-army officer admits spying for Russia, blames fear of nuclear war.

Identified only as Thomas H., the 54-year-old went on trial in Dusseldorf on April 29 charged with conducting espionage on behalf of Moscow and leaking state secrets.

11:45 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Attack on Odesa kills 4, injures 29

10:36 PM

War analysis

Russian strikes overwhelm Ukraine’s overstretched air defense amid Western aid delays

10:02 PM

Media: Russian politician's wife planned to adopt kidnapped Ukrainian boy, abandoned him due to sickness.

The wife of Russian politician Sergey Mironov forcibly took a Ukrainian girl and boy from occupied Kherson to adopt them, but abandoned the boy after it became clear he had ill health, Ukrainian news outlet TSN reported on April 28.

9:57 PM

The Insider: 2 Russians running GRU safe house in Greece outed as spies.

Two Russian-born Czech citizens ran a hotel in northern Greece that doubled as a safe house for an infamous unit of Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU) as it carried out bombings and poisonings across Europe, an investigation by The Insider has found.

9:57 PM

The Insider: 2 Russians running GRU safe house in Greece outed as spies.

7:46 PM

Updated: Russian strike on Odesa kills 4, injures 32.

According to Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper, a missile struck residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.

7:25 PM

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7:10 PM

Ukraine finalizes trade agreement with UAE.

Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates have finalized a bilateral trade agreement that lays the foundation for deepening investment and trade between the two countries, Ukraine's Economy Ministry announced on April 29.

6:12 PM

State Border Service: Over 30 draft evaders died trying to illegally cross border.

More than 30 men have died while attempting to cross Ukraine's mountainous western border to evade mobilization, State Border Guard Service Head Andriy Demchenko said in an interview with Ukrinform published on April 29.

5:03 PM

Lithuania’s FM: Russian GPS jamming of commercial flights 'too dangerous to ignore.'

Baltic foreign ministers have warned that the suspected Russian jamming of GPS systems aboard commercial flights is "too dangerous to ignore." This comes after it was revealed that two Finnish aircraft were forced to turn around mid-journey in recent days.

4:40 PM

Reuters: Telegram says Ukrainian government chatbots mistakenly blocked.

Telegram chatbots of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the Digital Transformation Ministry were "temporarily disabled due to a false positive," Reuters quoted a Telegram spokesperson on April 29.

4:39 PM

Former UK Armed Forces minister: 'Ukraine defeat will cost trillions to West in new Cold War.'

James Heappey said that Kyiv will need more aid packages to win the battle for "security across the whole European-Atlantic region."

3:46 PM

UDPATED: Ukraine appeals to CoE regarding derogation from parts of Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms due to martial law.

Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said that this is part of Ukraine's regular updates on what restrictions it might impose and is part of Kyiv's international obligations.

3:10 PM

NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg arrives in Kyiv in surprise visit.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Kyiv on April 29 in a previously unannounced visit.

3:07 PM

Czech police conclude Russian agents behind deadly 2014 ammunition depot blasts.

Russian military intelligence operatives were responsible for deadly ammunition depot explosions in Czechia in 2014, the Czech police said on April 29 following a three-year investigation.

2:25 PM

Parliamentary delegation of Polish lawmakers arrives in Ukraine.

A group of lawmakers from the two chambers of the Polish parliament – Sejm and Senate – arrived in Ukraine on April 29, said Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine's parliament.

2:04 PM

Media: Deputy minister suspected of illegal acquisition of state-owned land returns to Ukraine.

Law enforcement services did not hand Dmytrasevych a suspicion notice as he was abroad on a business trip. Dmytrasevych crossed the border on April 12.

1:50 PM

Russian attack on Kherson Oblast kills man.

Russian forces attacked the village of Kizomys in Kherson Oblast on April 29, killing a 60-year-old man, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

1:39 PM

Military intelligence: Over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have deserted.

Over 18,000 soldiers of the district have allegedly deserted, with around 12,000 of them belonging to the 8th Combined Arms Army – a unit often deployed in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

1:15 PM

Military: Ukraine regaining control over Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast complicates Russian advances.

Ukraine's control over Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast is tactically important and will make it more difficult for Russian forces to approach Ukrainian positions, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, told Hromadske Radio on April 29.

12:55 PM

Air Force: Poland capable of protecting skies over western Ukraine but political will needed.

Poland is technically capable of protecting the skies over Ukraine's western regions with its air defenses, but this requires "political will," Air Force spokesperson Illia Yevlash said on April 29.

12:07 PM

FT: Western banks paid 4 times more taxes to Russia in 2023 than before all-out war.

The largest Western banks that continue to operate in Russia have paid 800 million euros ($857 million) in taxes to its budget in 2023, which is four times more than before Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing its analysis.

12:02 PM

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