Steven Derix

Zelensky (MP3-Download)

A Biography of Ukraine's War Leader Gekürzte Lesung. 289 Min.
Sprecher: Neil, Christian

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Produktbeschreibung

A vivid, up-to-date biography of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, covering his humble background and successful TV career to his corruption-dogged first years in office to Russia's invasion. Told with flair and authority, it is the gripping story of one of the most admired and inspirational leaders in the world. An action-packed biography of Ukraine's comedian-turned-President Volodymyr Zelensky's life to date has been packed with drama and action. By the age of 20, the Jewish boy from the provincial town of Kryvyi Rih had become a star of the stage. At 30, he headed a multimillion-dollar TV company. At 40, he took on Ukraine's corrupt political and business elite in a TV drama, playing a history teacher who becomes President. Then he launched a real-life political party named after the TV show, won a landslide victory and became Ukraine's real President. When Russian troops flooded across the border, Zelensky refused Western offers to leave Kyiv. He has marshalled Ukraine's resistance and successfully obtained Western missile systems and anti-tank weapons. Zelensky said: 'If I am elected, they will first sling mud at me. Then they will learn to respect me. And finally cry when I leave.' Zelensky is written by a long-standing Russia and Ukraine reporter and a Russian- and Ukrainian speaking researcher. It's a pithy biography of Zelensky for anyone who wants to understand Ukraine's charismatic head of state, his complex country, and its vexed relationship with Russia. Covering Zelensky's life from his childhood to the Ukrainian presidency, Zelensky deals with his background in a Russian-speaking region of Ukraine, his early career in TV taking part in KVN talent competitions, and his rise through the Ukrainian and Russian television industry. Then it deals with Zelensky's breakthrough moment in the TV series Servant of the People playing a teacher who dreams of reforming Ukraine and ending its corruption. The show becomes a reality and Zelensky's party, Servant of the People, takes power. Zelensky's presidency is marred by his attempts to curry favour with the US President Donald Trump and the offshoring of millions of dollars. Nonetheless, Zelensky battles political rivals and takes on powerful vested interests in Europe's second-largest country. Then with his doggedness, speeches and strategy, he marshals Ukraine's staunch resistance to a superpower – a fight that most analysts assume Russia will quickly win. But they do not - and Ukraine starts to turn the tide of the war. Zelensky and his country become symbols of defiance against Vladimir Putin's aggression. Zelensky: A Biography of Ukraine's War Leader is both an uplifting story and an urgent message from Ukraine. Extract In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was elected as the sixth President of Ukraine, with nearly three-quarters of the vote. One month later, the Russian President attended the World Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. It had been five years since Russia's annexation of Crimea but daily skirmishes between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists were still commonplace in eastern Ukraine. 'Why did you not congratulate Volodymyr Zelenksy when he became President?' asked the interviewer. Putin breathed a heavy sigh. The Russian officials and business magnates in the room playfully nudged one another: this was going to be good... Putin gave the enormous hall an almost pitying look and waited until the sniggering had died down... 'Listen, I do not know this man. I hope that we can meet one day. As far as I can tell, he's amazing at what he does, he's a marvellous actor.' Putin continued: 'But seriously: it's one thing to play a person, but quite another thing to be that person.' Laughter and generous applause filled the room. Buy the book to carry on listening

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Canbury Press Ltd
• Erscheinungstermin: 12. April 2023
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781912454655
• Artikelnr.: 67783824

Autorenporträt

Steven Derix is a journalist at the prestigious Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad. Together with Dolf de Groot he wrote Blood Brothers: The Downfall of Team Rabobank, which uncovered Michael Boogerd’s doping fraud. From 2014 to 2020 he was NRC correspondent for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Inhaltsangabe

Introduction. Russia's President Vladimir Putin shows his contempt for
Ukraine's new president Volydymyr Zelensky, an actor turned politician who
has swept to power after starring in a TV drama Servant of the People,
where he plays a history teacher who dreams of becoming President of
Ukraine
1. Al Pacino. Volodymyr Zelensky grows up in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, and
starts to compete in KVN talent championships in Ukraine and Russia,
following the fall of the Soviet Union, while also wooing his future wife
Olena
2. Bad Neighbours. Charing the history of Ukraine from Viking settlements
to the 21st Century, including the vexed relationship between Russia, the
Soviet Union, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, and Volydymyr Zelensky's
progression through the Ukrainian and Russian TV industry via KVN shows
3. The Comedy Factory. Ukraine develops as an independent state, still
under pressure from Russia, while Volydymyr Zelensky makes his name in
Ukraine and Russia with his troupe and TV company Kvartal 95.
4. Maidan. Modern Ukraine erupts in protests amid the Orange Revolution
against corrupt elections and government. Volydymyr Zelensky eventually
finds his forte in political satire. Mentions Maidan Square, Yuriy
Koryavchenkov, Vitali Klitschko, Rinat Akhmetov, Viktor Yanukovych, Viktor
Yushchenko
5. Servant of the People. Volydmyr Zelensky starts a TV show, Servant of
the People, playing a teacher who dreams of becoming President and cleaning
up Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia's 'little green men' troops occupy the Crimea
peninsula. Mentions Vasyl Holoborodko and Yulia Tymoshenko’s Fatherland
Party
6. The Turbo Regime. After winning the presidential election with a
landslide, Volydymyr Zelensky starts reforming Ukraine, and immediately
runs into trouble with US President Donald Trump. Russia and Ukraine hold
peace talks to try to settle their differences over the Donbas and Crimea
7. Confrontation. Volodymyr Zelensky takes on Ukraine's powerful oligarchs
and suspected judicial and political corruption. Mentions Ruslan
Riaboshapka, Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine National Security and Defence Council,
Viktor Medvedchuk, Taras Kozak, Olena Kondratiuk
8. The Wartime President. Russia invades Ukraine in 2022 and President
Zelensky mounts a staunch defence of his country, successfully rallying
Western support for his battle against overwhelming firepower. Mentions
Zapad military exercise, Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022, FSB agents,
Alexey Navalny
A Note on Sources. The authors have used some of Steven Derix's reporting
for the Dutch newspaper NRC. Explains the use of sources and naming
protocol, preferring Ukrainian spellings over Russian ones for Ukrainian
names. So the book refers to Zelensky rather than Zelenskyi or Zelenskyy.
Bibliography. An extensive list of references for this biography of
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, including sources in Dutch,
English, Russian, Ukrainian and Polish.