Ukraine and Russia 'war': Volodymyr Zelensky - Profile of Kyiv leader wey dey face Russia Vladimir Putin

Wen Volodymyr Zelensky first appear on TV screen as Ukraine president, e do so as actor inside one popular comedy series.

But den di feem become real life for April 2019 wen e become president in reality. Now e dey leads a kontri of 44 million pipo and dey fight off Russian military invasion.

For im TV role Servant of di People, e act as one humble history teacher wey become president due to circumstances afta one video of how e bad mouth corruption go viral online. Na fairy tale tori wey capture di imagination of Ukrainians wey bin don tire for politics.

Servant of di People become di name of im party, as Volodymyr Zelensky campaign on a message of cleaning up politics and promising to bring peace to di east.

Now Russia troop invasion don put di man wey become leader through im fame for acting at di heart of international crisis wey pesin fit trace back to di West Cold War with Russia.

Di 44-year-old president bin get to dey careful as e bin dey canvas for support for Ukraine mata while e appeal to di West make dem no spread panic and also do im best not to make im pipo worry.

Im calling as comedy actor

Im road to di presidency no be normal one.

Dem born am for di central city of Kryvyi Rih to Jewish parents, Volodymyr Zelensky graduate from Kyiv National Economic University with law degree. However, na comedy na im turn out to be im calling.

As a young man, e bin dey regularly participate for team comedy show competitions ontop Russian TV. For 2003, e co-found one successful TV production company wen dem name afta im comedy team, Kvartal 95.

Di company produce show for Ukraine 1+1 network, wey di controversial billionaire owner, Ihor Kolomoisky, go later back Mr Zelensky presidential bid.

Until di mid-2010s, though, im career for TV and feems such as Love in the Big City (2009) and Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon (2012) be im main focus.

Servant of the People

Di stage for Mr Zelensky unlikely political rise dey set by wetin happun for 2014, wen dem comot Ukraine pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych from office afta months of protests. Russia come seize Crimea and back di separatists for di east inside war with Ukraine wey continue till dis day.

One year later, for October 2015, Servant of the People premiere ontop 1+1, and e play di character wey dem call Vasiliy Goloborodko.

E win incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, wey bin try to potray im rival as political novice even though voters see am as an asset.

Dem elect am by a landslide wit 73.2% of di vote and dem swear am in as Ukraine sixth president on 20 May 2019.

Deadlock for Donbas

E bin try to act on im promise to end fi conflict for eastern Ukraine, wey bin don kill thousands of pipo.

At first, e try to compromise. Tok-tok wit Russia happun, prisoner exchange and move to implement parts of a peace process, wey dem call di Minsk agreements, but e no happun.

Although ceasefire come into effect for July 2020 some fighting bin still continue.

Mr Zelensky push for Ukraine membership of di European Union and di Nato military alliance, and dat one vex Russia president.

Sometimes e bin don struggle to make im voice dey heard as a statesman, im critics dey point to lack of political experience.

E bin try to rally Ukrainians by creating a national Unity Day on 16 February, and bin regularly dey visit sojas on di front line.

Wen dem ask am if Russia military threat go make am to give up on joining Nato, e tell BBC say di most important tin for am as president na make im no lose im kontri: "We need guarantees. No be just four letters. For us Nato na guarantee of security."

Show business who's boss

Anoda of im campaign promise wey also worry am to deliver na im promise to fight di extensive political and economic influence of Ukraine super-rich VIPS - wey dey control di kontri.

Pipo bin dey somehow about dat promise becos of im link to Ihor Kolomoisky, one tycoon wey im media empire endorse Mr Zelenksy election campaign.

But e bin try to fulfil dat promise.

Im goment target some of Ukraine most prominent pipo, including pro-Russia opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, wey im place under house arrest on charges of crimes including treason wey e condemn as "political repression".

Also di law wey legally define di oligarchs - dis VIPS dem and wey subject dem to restrictions, wey include a ban on financing political parties.

And yet some critics see im his anti-corruption measures as just mouth and no action and say e dey mainly designed to seek favour wit di administration of US President Joe Biden, strong force against Russia.

Zelensky - Biden

To guarantee Mr Biden support, Mr Zelensky don get some kain moments.

For July 2019, Republican President Donald Trump ask Mr Zelensky for "a favour" during one phone call. Mr Trump bin wan Mr Zelensky to investigate corruption allegations against Mr Biden, di den Democratic favourite to win di election.

In exchange, Mr Zelensky go get a trip to Washington and military aid.

Wen details of di call come out, thanks to one whistleblower, Mr Trump face accuse say im illegally pressurise Ukraine leader to dig up damaging information on a political rival.

Mr Trump stand im ground say e no do anytin wrong, while Mr Zelensky deny say e bin agree to such. Di Democrats bin impeach Mr Trump, wey dem later clear afta one political trial.

Pandora Papers

Mr Zelensky too don smell scandals.

For October 2021, dem call im name inside Pandora Papers, one mass leak of documents wey expose di hidden wealth of di world rich and powerful.

Di papers reveal say Mr Zelensky and im close circle benefit from a network of offshore companies.

But Mr Zelensky say e no see any new details for di papers and deny say either im or anyone from im company, Kvartal 95, dey involved in money laundering.