Ukraine invasion: Who is Volodymyr Zelensky?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been in the news a lot recently after Russia invaded Ukraine.

President Zelensky has only been in power since April 2019, and before that he had a very different life - he was a comedian and actor.

Yulia McGuffie, editor-in-chief of the Novoye Vremya news website, says she was upset when he was elected three years ago, as she had no faith in his ability to lead a government.

But Ukrainians have given their "full support and respect" to their president in the past week for his inspiring leadership, she says.

Keep reading Newsround's guide to find out more about the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky's life before politics

Volodymyr Zelensky became famous in Ukraine as a comedian and an actor

Mr Zelensky was born in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, in 1978.

When he was born, Ukraine was still a part of the Soviet Union (USSR), which collapsed and split up into many independent countries in 1991.

He graduated from Kyiv National Economic University with a law degree, but he soon chose to follow a career in entertainment as a comedian and actor.

Zelensky went on to be the voice of Paddington Bear when the popular film was released in Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky (pictured right in a white vest) played the president on TV

In 2015, he appeared in his biggest role to date in the Ukrainian TV series, Servant of the People.

He played a school teacher who shoots to fame, after a video of him ranting about corruption in politics goes viral, and eventually becomes president.

The TV show became incredibly popular at a time when Ukraine was suffering from a big corruption problem itself.

With his fame at an all-time high, Mr Zelensky announced live on TV in 2018 that he planned to follow his character's footsteps and run for president himself.

Switch from comedian to president

Volodymyr Zelensky won the presidential election with promises to stop corruption in Ukraine

Mr Zelensky's decision to take part in the 2019 presidential election in Ukraine was seen by some as a joke at first - his political party is called the Servant of the People party.

However, he went on to win the election with 73% of the vote, promising to fight corruption and bring peace to parts of eastern Ukraine that had been caught up in fighting.

Rival politicians questioned Mr Zelensky's business relationship with Ukrainian billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky, who is under investigation in the US for possible money crimes.

Zelensky was asked by BBC reporter Jonah Fisher in 2019 if Mr Kolomoisky, who had helped pay for his presidential campaign, would want anything in return for this support.

The comedian and actor said he was "no puppet" of Mr Kolomoisky and said that if courts found the billionaire guilty, he would receive no special protection.

The Ukrainian president has significant powers, but delivering on his promises was always going to be tough, says communications expert Yaryna Klyuchkovska.

Zelensky's attempts to talk with Russia in order to find a solution to the conflict in the east, which had left more than 14,000 people dead since 2014, had only limited success.

There were prisoner exchanges and moves towards introducing parts of a peace process, known as the Minsk agreements, but no big breakthrough.

Zelensky then began to push for membership of the European Union and the Nato military alliance, a move that angered the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

It led to months of tensions between the two countries, as Russia moved lots of soldiers to its border with Ukraine from late 2021 onwards.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief

President Zelensky holds a press conference on Russia's military operation on Friday 25 February

Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday 24 February with attacks from three separate directions - the north, south and east of the country.

More than 368,000 refugees have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion, the United Nations has said.

President Putin said Russia demanded that the Ukraine military lay down their weapons, and warned other nations not to interfere.

Russia's military assault has entered its fifth day, with cities across Ukraine on high alert after the capital Kyiv and major cities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv were targeted by Russian forces overnight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stayed in the capital Kyiv to lead the fight back but is in hiding.

He has rallied the nation with his speeches and videos, and given voice to Ukrainian anger and resistance to the Russian invasion.

"All Ukrainians have closed ranks around Zelensky. He is playing a uniting and I would say inspiring role, partly by his own example. He is leading a government that is repelling Putin's army, and for that many sincerely admire and respect him," says Yulia McGuffie, editor-in-chief of the Novoye Vremya news website.

Ukraine still faces a big struggle ahead. Russia's invasion force is large and well-armed.

But the 44-year-old law graduate, a political newcomer, has found a voice which many say has helped to boost Ukrainian morale at a difficult time for the country.