Meet Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska: Volodymyr Zelensky’s wife is a comedy writer, fashion icon, campaigner for children’s health and a source of strength to millions
- Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky described his family as ‘Moscow’s target No. 2’ in a chilling video broadcast on February 28, as war broke out in Europe
- She started writing jokes for the future president’s company while he worked as a stand-up comedian – what else do we know about this inspirational mother of two?
Olena Zelenska was born in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, in 1978, the year leading up to the height of the Soviet Union’s global power.
She met her future husband – Volodymyr Zelensky, who would go on to become the president of Ukraine – at Kryvyi Rih National University, where she studied architecture. The couple married in 2003 after dating for eight years.
While Zelensky had no political experience before being elected into office in 2019, in recent days he has been increasingly described as a convincing war leader.
Now, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 44-year-old Zelenska has taken on the role of the first lady of a country at war.
The Office of the President of Ukraine did not immediately respond to comment for this story – but here’s what we do know about the Ukrainian first lady.
The couple has two children: Aleksandra, 17, and Kiril, nine
