Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,640
(APPLAUSE)
2
00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:48,920
NARRATOR:
In a war that has changed the world,
3
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:50,920
how did a comedian and actor
4
00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,400
who, to everyone's surprise,
was elected president in 2019,
5
00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,440
become the hero
of Ukrainian resistance?
6
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,920
This is the story
of Volodymyr Zelensky,
7
00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,560
from his beginnings as a comic to
his election as president of Ukraine,
8
00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,040
and how in just a few weeks,
he's become
9
00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:10,800
one of the most admired leaders
in the world
10
00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:14,160
but also the man Putin wants dead.
11
00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:15,680
(INAUDIBLE)
12
00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,720
(COUNTS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
13
00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:20,000
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
14
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,240
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
15
00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,040
He's made me more famous
and I've made him more famous.
16
00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:46,760
(LAUGHTER)
17
00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,160
(INAUDIBLE)
18
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,200
(EXPLOSIONS)
19
00:02:08,920 --> 00:02:11,360
Russia has invaded Ukraine.
20
00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,400
(PROJECTOR WHIRRS)
21
00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:36,360
NARRATOR: Volodymyr Zelensky
was born in 1978 in Kryvyi Rih,
22
00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,680
an industrial town
in south-eastern Ukraine,
23
00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,360
and grew up
in an ordinary Soviet family.
24
00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:47,120
His mother was an engineer,
his father a computer teacher.
25
00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,240
His parents wanted him
to become a lawyer,
26
00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,160
but Volodymyr had other plans.
27
00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:52,800
He wanted to tread the boards.
28
00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,640
(APPLAUSE)
29
00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:01,480
(LAUGHTER, CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
30
00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,120
NARRATOR: Zelensky grew up as
the Soviet Union was falling apart,
31
00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,960
which meant that he was
able to discover Western culture.
32
00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:10,440
He experimented with the guitar,
33
00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,080
playing his favourite
English-language rock songs,
34
00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,120
but he mostly binged
on video cassettes of British comedy.
35
00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,200
He was a fan of Monty Python
36
00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,200
and saw himself
as a sort of Ukrainian Benny Hill.
37
00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,080
(LIGHTHEARTED MUSIC)
38
00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,240
(SONG IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
39
00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,760
(RHYTHMIC CLAPPING)
40
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,000
NARRATOR: Barely out of his teens,
Zelensky got noticed on KVN,
41
00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:42,760
the comedy show and competition
42
00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,640
which became popular
in the Soviet Union in the 1960s.
43
00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:48,760
Groups of comedians
would compete against each other
44
00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,280
in improvised battles
45
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:52,560
before being given scores by a jury.
46
00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:57,800
(MAN READS SCORES
IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
47
00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,840
NARRATOR: Zelensky took part
with his group, Kvartal 95,
48
00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,440
which he formed with childhood pals.
49
00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,080
(LAUGHTER)
50
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,160
NARRATOR:
From the late 1990s into the 2000s,
51
00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:20,080
the group ruled supreme over
this Soviet-style comedy competition,
52
00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,400
keeping the whole country in stitches
53
00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:24,480
with their popular style
of schoolboy humour,
54
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:31,160
mixing mime and cartoonish farce,
fooling around as ostriches, pimps
55
00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:36,520
or figure skaters, making Zelensky
Ukraine's favourite clown.
56
00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,440
(COMICAL MUSIC)
57
00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,560
From this success, Volodymyr
Zelensky was now able to launch
58
00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,640
his own production company -
Studio Kvartal 95.
59
00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:53,280
The comedian became a star throughout
the entire former Soviet Union,
60
00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:54,960
even in Russia,
Russian being the language
61
00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,520
in which he performed his sketches.
62
00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,080
NARRATOR: In 2006, Zelensky
added another line to his CV,
63
00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,120
this time without needing
to speak Russian OR Ukrainian,
64
00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,120
since he was communicating
with his body,
65
00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,280
winning the Ukrainian version
of Strictly Come Dancing.
66
00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:23,440
SONG: # But don't you
67
00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,840
# Step on my blue suede shoes
68
00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:27,960
# Yeah
69
00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:29,400
# Well, you can do anything
70
00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,360
# But lay off of my blue suede shoes
71
00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:34,480
# Ah! #
72
00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,600
NARRATOR: On the big screen,
Zelensky triumphed in rom-coms
73
00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,000
or as a totally bonkers Napoleon.
74
00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,320
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
75
00:05:44,840 --> 00:05:46,240
(BLADE RINGS)
76
00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,080
(YELLS)
77
00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,480
NARRATOR: In a tragic irony, in
this film, Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon,
78
00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:58,440
Zelensky tries to invade Russia.
79
00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,920
(YELLS)
80
00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,000
NARRATOR: The comedian
was everywhere, on every screen,
81
00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,440
and even when you didn't see him,
you'd hear him,
82
00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,360
because he was the Ukrainian voice
of Paddington Bear.
83
00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:14,920
NARRATOR:
But it was above all on television
84
00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:18,200
that Zelensky assured his place
as the country's number one comic,
85
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,200
with his prime-time show
every Saturday night.
86
00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:21,640
(INAUDIBLE)
87
00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:27,760
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
88
00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,280
NARRATOR: A comedy show
in which Zelensky and his group
89
00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:36,400
maintained the formula
that had made them such a success -
90
00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,360
irreverent humour, bawdy jokes
91
00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,320
and dance routines in high heels.
92
00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,960
(SONG IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
93
00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,520
NARRATOR: They had no qualms
about getting near the knuckle -
94
00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:04,680
in fact,
getting more than just near it.
95
00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:05,800
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
96
00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:10,120
(PIANO MUSIC)
(LAUGHTER)
97
00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,160
(SHOUTS)
98
00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,160
(APPLAUSE)
99
00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:26,160
NARRATOR: For several years,
100
00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,240
Evening Kvartal
was the country's most watched show.
101
00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,160
The satirical sketches spared no-one,
not even Vladimir Putin,
102
00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:38,440
as seen here in 2014, when Zelensky
played Putin's secret mistress,
103
00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,200
the famous gymnast Alina Kabaeva,
104
00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,400
in the process taking a pop
at the invasion of Crimea
105
00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,480
and the censorship of Russian media.
106
00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,280
(LAUGHTER)
107
00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:51,840
(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)
108
00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,080
(LAUGHTER)
109
00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,200
(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)
110
00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:13,400
(LAUGHTER)
111
00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,200
(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)
112
00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,960
NARRATOR:
But the ultimate masterpiece
113
00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,040
of Volodymyr Zelensky's
political satire
114
00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:32,000
was Servant of the People,
the TV series he created in 2015,
115
00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,480
a year after
Ukraine's Maidan Revolution,
116
00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,840
in which he played a history teacher
117
00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,480
who becomes the president.
118
00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,440
NARRATOR: It all begins when
he's secretly filmed by a student
119
00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:02,440
as he fulminates against
the corruption in his country.
120
00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,200
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
121
00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,520
(REPEATED BLEEPING)
122
00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:31,080
NARRATOR: Urged on by his students
after his rant goes viral online,
123
00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,320
the history teacher
becomes the president.
124
00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:51,800
NARRATOR: Over three seasons,
125
00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,520
the series Servant of the People
broke viewing records
126
00:09:55,520 --> 00:10:00,680
and got the Ukrainians wishing
that fiction could become reality.
127
00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,520
NARRATOR: Since February 24,
Ukraine has been at war.
128
00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,440
When you hear
the name of the country now,
129
00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,080
it's practically impossible
to think of anything other
130
00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:41,720
than images like these.
131
00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,920
(SIRENS HOWL)
132
00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:50,440
But what was Ukraine before this?
133
00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:54,200
Well, here's Ukraine,
jammed between Russia and Poland.
134
00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,240
Ukraine also gave us the painter
Malevich, the actress Mila Kunis,
135
00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,120
the footballer Shevchenko,
136
00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,200
and it's won
the Eurovision Song Contest twice.
137
00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:03,440
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
138
00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:06,960
(AUDIENCE CALLS RESPONSE)
139
00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:09,200
(AUDIENCE CALLS RESPONSE)
140
00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:10,720
(SHOUTS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
141
00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,800
(SINGS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
142
00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:16,920
NARRATOR: Ukraine also has
its own traditional music,
143
00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:18,880
which is probably
a little easier on the ear.
144
00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,280
(TRADITIONAL MUSIC)
145
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,320
But Ukraine is, above all,
a land with a complex history.
146
00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:29,320
A former province
of the Russian Empire,
147
00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:30,800
it was for a long time known
as Little Russia,
148
00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,360
becoming part of the Soviet Union
in 1922.
149
00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,840
VOICEOVER: This is Kiev,
the capital of the Ukraine,
150
00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:41,200
one of the 15 constituent republics
of the Soviet Union.
151
00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,080
This is its flag and its emblem,
152
00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,680
hammer and sickle
in a frame of ears of wheat.
153
00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:49,640
NARRATOR: Stalin imposed
the Russian language on Ukraine
154
00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:51,520
as well as his communist policies,
155
00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,680
which led to devastating famines,
such as that of 1932.
156
00:11:55,680 --> 00:12:00,720
VOICEOVER 2: A nation the size
of France is strangled by hunger.
157
00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:06,520
In less than two years,
10 million people die,
158
00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:10,280
3 million of them children.
159
00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:11,840
NARRATOR:
During the Second World War,
160
00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:16,000
hundreds of thousands
of Ukrainian Jews were murdered,
161
00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,440
among them,
ancestors of Volodymyr Zelensky.
162
00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:48,880
NARRATOR:
More recently, three major dates
163
00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:50,600
have marked the country's history.
164
00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,080
1991 was the year
of Ukraine's independence.
165
00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,400
After 200 years of Russian hegemony,
the country was finally free,
166
00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:57,800
or almost.
167
00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:08,360
2004 saw the Orange Revolution.
168
00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,840
This exploded after the
fraudulent election of Yanukovych.
169
00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:13,960
Followers of his opponent,
Viktor Yushchenko,
170
00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,720
took to the streets
to protest about the fraud.
171
00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:29,440
NARRATOR:
The result was finally invalidated,
172
00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,600
but the revolution left the country
split in two,
173
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,480
the result of which, in 2014,
was the Maidan Revolution.
174
00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,040
(EXPLOSIONS)
175
00:13:40,680 --> 00:13:42,760
The movement's objective
176
00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,080
was to remove
a thoroughly corrupt political class.
177
00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:49,120
Bloody clashes took place
in Kiev's Independence Square.
178
00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:50,560
At this time,
Zelensky was already hosting
179
00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:51,800
his popular Saturday night show,
180
00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,720
doing his best
to keep the country laughing.
181
00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,320
NARRATOR: The demonstrations
led to the election
182
00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:07,360
of pro-European Petro Poroshenko.
183
00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:09,120
At the same time,
pro-Russian factions
184
00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,520
took advantage of the weakened
political power base to declare
185
00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:13,280
their independence in Donbass
186
00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,880
while Putin annexed Crimea.
187
00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,600
(APPLAUSE)
188
00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,840
NARRATOR: This resulted
in part of the country being at war
189
00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,360
while the political scene
was corrupt to the core.
190
00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,200
The Ukrainian people
had lost all faith and turned instead
191
00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:36,360
to Servant of the People,
192
00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,200
the series in which an
ideal president, played by Zelensky,
193
00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,720
rid them all
of their dodgy politicians.
194
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,720
(SONG IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
195
00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,160
(SHOUTS)
196
00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,200
NARRATOR: But what if this perfect
president from Servant of the People,
197
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:24,840
honest, upright
198
00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,240
and determined to reform the country
and root out corruption,
199
00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:31,800
what if Volodymyr Zelensky
could play him for real?
200
00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:39,600
(LAUGHTER)
201
00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,480
(WHISTLING, CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
202
00:15:57,520 --> 00:15:59,480
(LAUGHTER)
203
00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,560
NARRATOR: As the country underwent
a serious economic crisis
204
00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:03,920
and became bogged down
in the war in Donbass,
205
00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:05,960
the Ukrainians,
sick of their political elite,
206
00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,720
were desperate for change.
207
00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,240
Borne aloft
by the huge success of the TV series,
208
00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:16,600
Zelensky finally announced his
candidature on New Year's Eve 2018.
209
00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:42,880
NARRATOR: Yes.
210
00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,600
It was as people were
popping champagne corks, and on TV,
211
00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:47,280
that he announced his candidature.
212
00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:52,240
He didn't have a program but promised
an end to corruption and the war.
213
00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:08,080
NARRATOR: But the comic's first
challenge was to be taken seriously.
214
00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,480
NARRATOR: To convince voters,
he toured the country by bus.
215
00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,400
NARRATOR: But instead
of classic political meetings,
216
00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:41,040
he put on shows
with his long-established gang.
217
00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:42,880
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
218
00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:47,040
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
219
00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,440
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
220
00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:58,920
NARRATOR: It was a showbiz campaign,
221
00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:03,160
a long way from
the usual staid political speeches.
222
00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,040
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
223
00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,600
NARRATOR: Lacking both experience
and political proficiency,
224
00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,480
the actor made up for this
with charisma,
225
00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,760
compensating for political
deficiencies with punchlines.
226
00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,040
Similarly to Trump, he embodied
the rejection of the political elite.
227
00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,480
He'd never held office before,
and that was what people liked.
228
00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,280
NARRATOR:
In baseball cap, beanie or hoodie,
229
00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,800
Zelensky showed himself
to be close to the people,
230
00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:04,800
with a campaign filmed like a Netflix
series and broadcast on social media.
231
00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:09,960
Da-da! Da-da!
232
00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,920
NARRATOR: Zelensky easily
made his adversaries look past it,
233
00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,440
and his character in the TV series
helped him shoot up the polls.
234
00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:20,080
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
235
00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,280
(LAUGHTER)
236
00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,480
NARRATOR: It wasn't always very clear
who was campaigning,
237
00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:33,360
Zelensky or the ideal president
of Servant of the People.
238
00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:35,800
His party's name was the same
as the one in the series.
239
00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,160
And to confuse things even further,
240
00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,520
the final season was broadcast
only a few days
241
00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,080
before the first round
of the election.
242
00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:45,240
Just before going to vote,
the Ukrainians were seeing
243
00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:49,280
one of the candidates
already president on TV.
244
00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:04,640
NARRATOR: The Zelensky phenomenon
245
00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:07,280
sparked the interest
of the international media.
246
00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:12,640
We too went to see him on the set,
a few months before the election.
247
00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,880
(CHOIR SINGS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
248
00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,560
(APPLAUSE)
249
00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:34,560
NARRATOR:
We too got to meet this candidate,
250
00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,880
who was already playing
at being the president.
251
00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:39,720
MAN: When you're...
just in the scene we were watching,
252
00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,160
you're addressing the nation.
253
00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:44,640
Do you feel you could be
doing the same thing in a few weeks?
254
00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:49,320
You're ready for that?
255
00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:51,120
I think so, yes.
256
00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:04,920
Thank you very much.
It was a pleasure meeting you.
257
00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,480
NARRATOR: But Zelensky
hadn't convinced everyone,
258
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:10,480
and when he came across
pro-Russian Ukrainians...
259
00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,720
..the atmosphere was tense.
260
00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:39,080
NARRATOR:
Another thorn in Zelensky's side
261
00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:43,160
was his closeness to the
Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi.
262
00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:46,440
The third richest man in the country
263
00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,720
and former boss
of Ukraine's biggest bank,
264
00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:52,600
he'd been living in exile since being
accused of embezzling $2 billion.
265
00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:54,520
But above all, he was the owner
266
00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,520
of the TV channel 1+1,
267
00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,280
which broadcast
all of Zelensky's programs.
268
00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:05,560
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
269
00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,800
NARRATOR: Kolomoyskyi
financed the comedian's campaign,
270
00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:21,400
providing him with an unbeatable
media platform on his channels.
271
00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,000
Zelensky's adversaries
saw Zelensky as the face
272
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,960
and Kolomoyskyi as the brain
of a 2-headed candidature.
273
00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:39,280
People say that you are
just a puppet of Igor Kolomoyskyi...
274
00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:40,280
Yes.
275
00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,920
..that you've been put forward
as his candidate.
276
00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,640
NARRATOR:
Despite all this, in March 2019,
277
00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,640
Zelensky came top
in the first round of the election,
278
00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,880
far ahead of Petro Poroshenko,
the incumbent.
279
00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:08,320
And when it came time for a debate,
280
00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:10,880
it was the comedian
who imposed the conditions.
281
00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:53,800
NARRATOR:
It seems a surreal proposition,
282
00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,800
and yet 22,000 people
were present for this debate
283
00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:59,080
between the first and second rounds,
284
00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:04,360
presented like a boxing match,
and Zelensky was in his element.
285
00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,960
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
286
00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,880
(CHEERING)
287
00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,360
(INAUDIBLE)
288
00:24:33,360 --> 00:24:35,280
NARRATOR: On April 21, 2019,
289
00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,520
after several months
of showbiz campaigning...
290
00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,080
..reality caught up with fiction.
291
00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,240
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(CONFETTI POPS)
292
00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:52,200
With 73% of the votes,
Volodymyr Zelensky, at the age of 41,
293
00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,440
was elected president of Ukraine.
294
00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,640
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
295
00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,600
NARRATOR: His inauguration
took place a month later.
296
00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,840
Volodymyr Zelensky showed up
at Parliament to take his oath
297
00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:07,160
like a star.
298
00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,360
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
299
00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:15,240
The images are surprising,
300
00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,920
seemingly a cut-and-paste
of his inauguration in the TV series,
301
00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,000
filmed four years earlier.
302
00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:39,760
That day, Volodymyr Zelensky went
from being the servant of the people
303
00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,440
to the protector of the nation.
304
00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,640
(APPLAUSE)
305
00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,240
NARRATOR:
And to stress his difference
306
00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:55,840
from preceding politicians,
307
00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:01,200
Zelensky announced from the off
that he would be a normal president.
308
00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,320
(CHEERING, APPLAUSE AND LAUGHTER)
309
00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:24,760
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
310
00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:38,240
NARRATOR:
He wanted to demystify the office
311
00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:42,000
and show the Ukrainian people
what goes on behind the scenes.
312
00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:43,120
In his first few days,
313
00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:46,760
he invited a crowd of journalists
to his office for a guided visit.
314
00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,280
(CHATTER IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
315
00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:03,560
NARRATOR: Zelensky was discovering
the reins of power
316
00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:06,120
and wanted everyone
to discover them with him.
317
00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,480
NARRATOR: In front of the camera,
he was doing what he does best -
318
00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:35,880
putting on a show.
319
00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:55,720
NARRATOR: His presidency started
to seem like a reality TV show.
320
00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:57,840
To choose his spokesperson,
Zelensky organised a competition
321
00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,480
in which the candidates were judged
on their handling of stress
322
00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:01,560
and sense of humour,
323
00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:05,160
and when members of Parliament of his
party were accused of taking bribes,
324
00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:08,880
he had them take a lie detector test
live on Facebook.
325
00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,640
NARRATOR: Zelensky was emphasising
transparency and proximity,
326
00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,680
his main communication tool
being social media.
327
00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,560
NARRATOR: The president was a master
at the art of the selfie
328
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,520
and took to talking about his routine
while driving his car
329
00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:35,560
like some YouTuber.
330
00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:55,520
NARRATOR: The tone was relaxed,
the context informal.
331
00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:57,360
The videos
seemed to be filmed on a whim,
332
00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:00,320
simply when he felt like talking.
333
00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:12,200
NARRATOR: Volodymyr Zelensky
or the first influencer president?
334
00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:32,040
NARRATOR:
A sort of presidential infotainment.
335
00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:33,040
He even had guest stars.
336
00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,760
In 2019, when Tom Cruise
was scouting locations for a film,
337
00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,760
he found himself
invited to the president's office.
338
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,720
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
339
00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,800
You're good-looking.
(LAUGHTER)
340
00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:45,560
Like a movie.
It pays the rent.
341
00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,080
(LAUGHTER)
342
00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,800
NARRATOR: Visibly starstruck,
Zelensky played it modest,
343
00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:54,480
but after becoming president, he was
easily the equal of Tom Cruise.
344
00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,960
On each official outing,
the president caused a riot.
345
00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,760
His bodyguards were overwhelmed
by requests for selfies.
346
00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:09,960
NARRATOR:
Zelensky found it hard to say no
347
00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:12,200
and was working hard
at staying popular,
348
00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,360
although after two and a half years
running the country,
349
00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:16,600
his record
was somewhat disappointing.
350
00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:20,760
In Donbass, the war was still raging,
and his critics were more numerous.
351
00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:25,520
The learner president
found journalists hard to deal with.
352
00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:45,280
NARRATOR: As for the
other major promise of his campaign,
353
00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:46,680
his fight against corruption,
354
00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:48,560
nothing had changed there either.
355
00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:52,040
Worse, when several people close to
him were implicated in bribery cases,
356
00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:55,240
Zelensky said nothing.
357
00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,800
Then he ended up at the heart
of one of the biggest scandals
358
00:30:57,800 --> 00:30:59,960
of Donald Trump's presidency.
359
00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:02,520
He's made me more famous
and I've made him more famous.
360
00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:04,760
(LAUGHTER)
361
00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:06,960
NARRATOR: In 2019,
a whistleblower revealed the contents
362
00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,400
of a phone call
between the two presidents.
363
00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:11,000
Trump can be heard asking Zelensky
364
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,880
to investigate the business dealings
in Ukraine of Hunter Biden,
365
00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:16,960
son of his rival for the presidency,
Joe Biden.
366
00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:20,840
In return, Zelensky would be getting
$400 million worth of military aid,
367
00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:22,720
something Ukraine couldn't pass up.
368
00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:24,600
MAN: Have you felt any pressure
from President Trump
369
00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,000
to investigate Joe B...
Joe Biden and Hunter Biden?
370
00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,280
I think you read everything.
371
00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:33,640
So you...I think you read text.
372
00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:35,480
I, uh...
373
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,400
..I'm sorry, but I...
I don't want to be involved
374
00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,640
to democratic, open...
375
00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,600
..um...
376
00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:45,760
..mmm...
377
00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:47,800
..elections.
378
00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:49,280
NARRATOR: In the US,
379
00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,600
this shocking scandal
led to impeachment proceedings,
380
00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:55,320
while in Ukraine,
the learner president was ridiculed,
381
00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,520
with people calling him
Monica Zelensky,
382
00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:01,040
in a reference
to Bill Clinton's intern.
383
00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:02,560
(INAUDIBLE)
384
00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:04,040
I can see you're angry
with President Trump.
385
00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,360
Maybe a little bit, huh?
386
00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,080
A little bit? (LAUGHS)
387
00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,600
NARRATOR: Zelensky went
from setback to setback.
388
00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:17,040
In 2021,
he even found himself embroiled
389
00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,400
in the Pandora Papers affair.
390
00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,840
(SHOUTING)
391
00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,840
(EXPLOSIONS)
392
00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:57,720
NARRATOR: To understand this war,
we must look at Putin's motives.
393
00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:15,440
(EXPLOSIONS)
394
00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:18,040
NARRATOR: How did it come to this?
395
00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,200
Back in 1991,
with the fall of the USSR
396
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:24,720
and the independence of all the
countries in the former Soviet bloc,
397
00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,480
Russia lost
practically all of its influence,
398
00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,800
a fact which Putin,
who became president in 1999,
399
00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:33,880
has never been able to stomach.
400
00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:44,920
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
401
00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:47,200
NARRATOR:
Also, after the fall of the USSR,
402
00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:49,360
NATO, the military organisation
created by the US
403
00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:50,880
and certain European powers
404
00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:52,360
to stand up to the Soviet Union,
405
00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:54,800
has kept on expanding eastwards,
406
00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:57,400
an absolute affront to Putin.
407
00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,920
NARRATOR:
No such promise was ever made.
408
00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:21,720
But Putin revised history
to justify his plan
409
00:34:21,720 --> 00:34:26,080
to restore Russia's imperial prestige
and Soviet-era territory.
410
00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:30,520
The problem was more and more
former Soviet bloc countries
411
00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,240
were joining NATO.
412
00:34:33,240 --> 00:34:36,440
Today, we proudly welcome...
413
00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:37,440
..Estonia...
414
00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:38,640
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
415
00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:39,920
..Latvia...
416
00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:41,240
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
417
00:34:41,240 --> 00:34:42,600
..Lithuania.
418
00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:44,640
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
419
00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:46,080
We welcome them into the ranks
420
00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:48,800
of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization.
421
00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,040
NARRATOR: By 2020, practically every
country on the European continent
422
00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:53,760
had joined NATO.
423
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:55,640
Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia
424
00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:59,640
were the only remaining buffer zones
between Russia and the West.
425
00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:12,920
NARRATOR: But while Ukraine
had never made a secret
426
00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:14,360
of its desire to join NATO,
427
00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:17,000
discussions on the matter
were a long way from completion.
428
00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,320
Still, for Putin, this was too much.
429
00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,840
He was already threatening
his neighbour back in 2005.
430
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:46,040
NARRATOR:
Putin's other fear was that Ukraine
431
00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:48,400
might join the European Union,
432
00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:52,040
something that people were calling
for during the Maidan Revolution.
433
00:35:57,240 --> 00:36:00,440
NARRATOR: But not all Ukrainians
agreed, especially in Donbass,
434
00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,640
home to a large number
of pro-Russian separatists.
435
00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:05,920
Putin took advantage
of their uprising,
436
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:10,040
aiding them militarily
and provoking war in 2014.
437
00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:19,560
Then there was Crimea, this
small peninsula in southern Ukraine.
438
00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,640
For a long time,
it had belonged to Russia,
439
00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:24,000
and Putin had never accepted
that his country
440
00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:25,640
had lost the port of Sebastopol,
441
00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:29,760
with its strategic access
to the Black Sea.
442
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:50,480
NARRATOR: In 2014, at the time
of the Maidan Revolution,
443
00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,600
Putin arranged for a referendum
to be held in Crimea.
444
00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:58,400
The people were asked to vote for
or against becoming part of Russia.
445
00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,400
The result of over
95% of votes being in favour
446
00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:04,040
wasn't recognised
by any international body.
447
00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:07,640
Putin annexed Crimea all the same.
448
00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:22,840
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
449
00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:27,120
NARRATOR: Despite the outcry
from the international community,
450
00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:31,240
Putin rolled in his army,
put up a long wall at the border
451
00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:36,080
and had a bridge built,
at 18km, the longest in Europe,
452
00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:38,120
linking Crimea to Russia.
453
00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:04,000
NARRATOR: As a result,
when Zelensky came to power in 2019,
454
00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:05,920
Crimea was annexed to Russia,
455
00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:08,320
Donbass was in the hands
of separatists,
456
00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,640
supported by the Kremlin,
457
00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:13,080
and Ukraine's sovereignty
was being scorned by Moscow,
458
00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:17,560
which was flexing its muscles
with megalomaniac military parades.
459
00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:23,120
Yet despite all that,
Putin was still sounding reassuring.
460
00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,600
(APPLAUSE)
461
00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:12,880
NARRATOR: So when the former actor
Volodymyr Zelensky came to power,
462
00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:16,920
he inherited an annexed Crimea
and war in Donbass.
463
00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:23,760
In his first international speech
to NATO in 2019,
464
00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:27,160
he made peace in Donbass a priority.
465
00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:30,800
We are ready to negotiate
with Russia.
466
00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:34,640
However, we must first be able
to protect ourselves
467
00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:37,320
and to become stronger.
468
00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,520
Thank you very much.
Thank you so much.
469
00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:43,080
NARRATOR: But Zelensky knew
that speeches would not be enough.
470
00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:45,160
He had to make an impression
as a military leader.
471
00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:46,600
From the beginning of his presidency,
472
00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:50,960
he visited the troops on the Donbass
front line with cameras in tow.
473
00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:54,400
The young president
was there to boost morale
474
00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:56,400
and seemed quite unaware
of the danger.
475
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:10,520
NARRATOR: Yet this was a vicious,
bloody war, and it was dragging on.
476
00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:14,960
Since 2014,
there had been 14,000 deaths.
477
00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:19,120
Zelensky's strategy
was to YouTube the conflict.
478
00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:21,720
He was filmed sitting in the kitchen
of a Donbass inhabitant,
479
00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:24,600
in whose home
he even spent the night.
480
00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:39,320
(LAUGHS)
481
00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:42,200
NARRATOR: To try to keep things
from escalating,
482
00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:44,560
the former actor went on
the front line, checking for himself
483
00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:48,360
that the Ukrainian soldiers
were respecting the ceasefire.
484
00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:04,160
NARRATOR: Back in Kiev, he threw
himself into a diplomacy offensive
485
00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:06,440
aimed at Vladimir Putin.
486
00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:24,160
NARRATOR: The first meeting between
the Ukrainian and Russian presidents
487
00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:26,560
took place in Paris in 2019.
488
00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:30,120
Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron,
489
00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:32,320
trying to keep their relationship
with Putin on an even keel,
490
00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:34,720
acted as referees.
491
00:41:47,480 --> 00:41:50,160
NARRATOR: The atmosphere was chilly,
glacial, even.
492
00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:53,440
It was hard for Zelensky
to find his feet.
493
00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:54,960
He was as good as humiliated by Putin
494
00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:58,040
when the latter ordered him
to turn around for a photo.
495
00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:03,520
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
496
00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:11,480
NARRATOR: The Ukrainians
took a dim view of the encounter,
497
00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:15,080
fearing that the president
was giving in to pressure from Putin.
498
00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:31,560
NARRATOR: And despite the meeting,
Putin kept on seizing territory,
499
00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:35,560
violating the ceasefire
and amassing troops on the border.
500
00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:39,120
Zelensky was not backing down, but
instead of responding with violence,
501
00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:41,760
he preferred words and symbols,
502
00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:45,000
like on the occasion of
Ukraine's 30 years of independence.
503
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:09,120
NARRATOR: He went all-out
with the diplomatic efforts,
meeting leaders around the world,
504
00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:12,360
warning them of the threat
and requesting support.
505
00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:14,360
At the UN in 2019,
506
00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:17,080
he was already pointing out the
possible repercussions for the world
507
00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:21,960
of what was happening in Ukraine,
in an almost prophetic speech.
508
00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:39,320
NARRATOR:
But above all, on each trip,
509
00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:41,040
at every intervention
on the international stage,
510
00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,240
Zelensky would stress his
country's desire to turn westwards,
511
00:43:44,240 --> 00:43:47,320
as here, at NATO headquarters.
512
00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:49,720
The strategic course of Ukraine
to achieve
513
00:43:49,720 --> 00:43:54,880
full-fledged membership
in the EU and NATO
514
00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:56,240
remains unchanged.
515
00:43:56,240 --> 00:44:00,160
This is the priority
of our foreign policy.
516
00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:01,960
(INAUDIBLE)
517
00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:03,160
NARRATOR: By wanting to join NATO,
518
00:44:03,160 --> 00:44:05,960
Zelensky had crossed
the Kremlin's red line.
519
00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,480
And this stand-off
became personal for Putin
520
00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:11,160
when the Ukrainian courts went after
521
00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:13,960
Kiev's most influential
pro-Russian lobbyist,
522
00:44:13,960 --> 00:44:17,920
who was also the leader
of the main opposition party.
523
00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:27,920
NARRATOR: Viktor Medvedchuk
had been a close friend of Putin's
524
00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:29,360
for decades.
525
00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:32,640
The Russian president was the
godfather of his youngest daughter,
526
00:44:32,640 --> 00:44:35,520
and the two went on holiday together.
527
00:44:35,520 --> 00:44:37,920
So when Zelensky's government
accused Medvedchuk of treason
528
00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:39,920
and spreading disinformation,
529
00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:43,600
Putin saw red, publicly expressing
his anger a few days later.
530
00:44:55,120 --> 00:44:55,330
NARRATOR: All through
Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency,
531
00:44:57,840 --> 00:44:59,080
the Russian threat has kept growing.
532
00:44:59,080 --> 00:45:00,720
(INAUDIBLE)
533
00:45:00,720 --> 00:45:02,240
NARRATOR:
And yet right up to the last moment,
534
00:45:02,240 --> 00:45:03,640
Zelensky held on to the belief
535
00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:06,240
that a diplomatic solution
to the conflict was possible,
536
00:45:06,240 --> 00:45:08,160
even despite American warnings
in mid-February
537
00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:11,400
that an invasion was imminent.
538
00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:15,480
The best friend for enemies,
that is panic in our country,
539
00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:19,200
and all this information,
that helps only for panic.
540
00:45:19,200 --> 00:45:21,560
It doesn't help us.
541
00:45:21,560 --> 00:45:24,360
NARRATOR: Then, on 23 February,
when Zelensky realised
542
00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:26,640
that Putin really was
going to launch an attack,
543
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,720
he tried to talk
to the Russian people, in Russian,
544
00:45:29,720 --> 00:45:31,360
but it was already too late,
545
00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:35,600
and in any case, the message
wouldn't get through the censors.
546
00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:31,320
MAN: Whoa!
(ROCKETS WHOOSH)
547
00:46:31,320 --> 00:46:34,200
(EXPLOSIONS)
548
00:46:37,520 --> 00:46:41,400
NARRATOR: Since
Russia's invasion of Ukraine began,
549
00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:47,040
President Zelensky has transformed
himself into a genuine war chief,
550
00:46:47,040 --> 00:46:50,160
the very incarnation
of Ukrainian resistance.
551
00:46:50,160 --> 00:46:53,360
Putin wants his country and his head.
552
00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:02,840
NARRATOR: Volodymyr Zelensky has
become the world's most wanted man,
553
00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:04,920
now being hunted
by Putin's mercenaries,
554
00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:07,080
the terrifying Wagner Group.
555
00:47:07,080 --> 00:47:11,120
It seems he's already escaped
at least one assassination attempt.
556
00:47:11,120 --> 00:47:13,160
But from the very start,
the president has been adamant
557
00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:16,120
that he would not be leaving Kiev
or his country.
558
00:47:16,120 --> 00:47:17,840
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
559
00:47:24,200 --> 00:47:25,280
NARRATOR: "I am here."
560
00:47:25,280 --> 00:47:28,280
With these words, Zelensky was not
talking to his people like a leader
561
00:47:28,280 --> 00:47:31,840
but as a friend,
a brother, a comrade,
562
00:47:31,840 --> 00:47:33,880
the opposite of Putin.
563
00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:35,720
While the Russian dictator
appears with his ministers
564
00:47:35,720 --> 00:47:37,920
at the other end of an immense table,
565
00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:41,160
Zelensky is surrounded by his fellows
in the streets of the capital.
566
00:47:59,480 --> 00:48:03,320
NARRATOR: "We are all here," meaning
that Zelensky is part of the fight,
567
00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:04,480
making himself just as vulnerable
568
00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:07,520
as the citizens he had exhorted
to resist only days previously,
569
00:48:07,520 --> 00:48:09,720
in his last appearance in a suit.
570
00:48:09,720 --> 00:48:12,120
(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
571
00:48:33,000 --> 00:48:35,960
NARRATOR: When the US offered
to exfiltrate him out of the country,
572
00:48:35,960 --> 00:48:39,680
Zelensky brushed them off, asking
instead for arms and ammunition.
573
00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:42,720
His courage has surprised
and inspired the Ukrainians.
574
00:48:42,720 --> 00:48:47,280
MAN: The Ukrainian people,
the Ukrainian military,
575
00:48:47,280 --> 00:48:49,160
Zelensky, everything,
everything's been inspiring.
576
00:48:49,160 --> 00:48:50,800
Even the other countries
surrounding,
577
00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:54,000
everybody's just, like...
it's, like, galvanised everybody.
578
00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:58,680
NARRATOR: In his hand, he holds
his most powerful weapon - his phone.
579
00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:00,880
Like a Winston Churchill version 2.0,
580
00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:04,800
Zelensky communicates and informs
his nation by using social media.
581
00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:06,000
(INAUDIBLE)
582
00:49:06,000 --> 00:49:09,680
Despite the bags under his eyes,
he appears calm and friendly,
583
00:49:09,680 --> 00:49:13,000
even joking, while always
looking directly into the camera.
584
00:49:27,600 --> 00:49:30,560
NARRATOR: His daily update,
while dressed in khaki,
585
00:49:30,560 --> 00:49:32,320
reassures his nation
and the rest of the world.
586
00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:35,680
Newspapers everywhere
sing Zelensky's praises.
587
00:49:35,680 --> 00:49:37,400
In countless countries,
people are demonstrating
588
00:49:37,400 --> 00:49:38,960
for him and for Ukraine,
589
00:49:38,960 --> 00:49:42,960
like here in Prague, or here in
Tbilisi, where he spoke to the crowd.
590
00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:44,440
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
591
00:50:00,240 --> 00:50:02,520
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
592
00:50:04,600 --> 00:50:07,760
(CHANTING)
593
00:50:07,760 --> 00:50:09,800
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
594
00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:13,560
NARRATOR: Zelensky has also welcomed
the support of Sean Penn,
595
00:50:13,560 --> 00:50:15,360
whom he met in his bunker.
596
00:50:15,360 --> 00:50:20,440
I was endlessly impressed
and moved...
597
00:50:20,440 --> 00:50:22,320
..by him
598
00:50:22,320 --> 00:50:26,280
and terrified for him
and for Ukraine.
599
00:50:26,280 --> 00:50:29,640
NARRATOR: All of this is useful
for the president's communications.
600
00:50:29,640 --> 00:50:32,760
He also posted an extract
of his Skype session with Elon Musk,
601
00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:34,200
who has made his satellites available
602
00:50:34,200 --> 00:50:37,120
to guarantee
Ukraine's internet connection.
603
00:50:37,120 --> 00:50:42,200
If you have time after the war,
you're very welcome. I invite you.
604
00:50:42,200 --> 00:50:46,160
That sounds good. Well, I look...
I look forward to...to visiting.
605
00:50:47,280 --> 00:50:51,280
NARRATOR: Zelensky's other major
weapon is his skill as an orator.
606
00:50:51,280 --> 00:50:53,400
On 8 March,
between two standing ovations,
607
00:50:53,400 --> 00:50:57,400
he quoted Shakespeare to
a packed House of Commons in the UK.
608
00:51:18,080 --> 00:51:20,280
NARRATOR: Then he channelled
Winston Churchill's famous speech
609
00:51:20,280 --> 00:51:22,080
from June 1940.
610
00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:54,760
NARRATOR: A week before this,
611
00:51:54,760 --> 00:51:57,640
his words had brought
the European Parliament to its feet.
612
00:52:04,200 --> 00:52:06,200
(APPLAUSE)
613
00:52:16,840 --> 00:52:19,840
NARRATOR: The interpreters struggled,
choking on the emotions.
614
00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:24,480
MAN: We're fighting...
615
00:52:24,480 --> 00:52:26,920
..just for our land... (SNIFFS)
616
00:52:26,920 --> 00:52:29,240
(EMOTIONALLY)
..and for our freedom...
617
00:52:30,440 --> 00:52:33,240
..despite the fact
618
00:52:33,240 --> 00:52:37,400
that all large cities of our country
are now blocked.
619
00:52:37,400 --> 00:52:39,320
NARRATOR: One German interpreter
broke down completely
620
00:52:39,320 --> 00:52:41,520
while live on air.
621
00:52:41,520 --> 00:52:44,520
(WOMAN SPEAKS GERMAN)
622
00:52:53,600 --> 00:52:56,000
(SOBS)
623
00:52:56,000 --> 00:52:58,800
NARRATOR: The war goes on,
but so do the speeches.
624
00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:02,360
When seen one after another,
they show how the despair is growing.
625
00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:43,040
NARRATOR: Above all,
through these interventions,
626
00:53:43,040 --> 00:53:44,320
Zelensky has shown himself to be
627
00:53:44,320 --> 00:53:46,560
a Ukrainian resistance fighter
like any other.
628
00:53:46,560 --> 00:53:49,520
He even moves his chair himself
to talk to journalists...
629
00:53:49,520 --> 00:53:51,720
Hello, Mr President.
Hello.
630
00:53:51,720 --> 00:53:53,200
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
631
00:53:53,200 --> 00:53:54,920
Hi.
How are you?
Thank you.
632
00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:58,320
..and makes no attempt to hide
either his emotions or his fatigue,
633
00:53:58,320 --> 00:54:00,480
which is plain to see on his face.
634
00:54:00,480 --> 00:54:03,360
I'm sorry. It's...we...
we sleep three, four hours.
635
00:54:03,360 --> 00:54:06,400
MAN 2: That's OK. I can ask again.
No, no, no. Just a second, please.
636
00:54:06,400 --> 00:54:10,680
About if...if I spoke with Biden,
President Biden, yes.
637
00:54:10,680 --> 00:54:14,640
I think yesterday or day
before yesterday. I don't remember.
638
00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:19,480
NARRATOR:
But Zelensky is still there,
639
00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:22,400
filming his city of Kiev
from the windows of his office...
640
00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:24,120
(INAUDIBLE)
641
00:54:24,120 --> 00:54:25,640
..the very same office
642
00:54:25,640 --> 00:54:29,200
he smilingly showed
journalists around two years ago.
643
00:54:56,440 --> 00:54:59,440
NARRATOR: And a few days ago,
between two aerial attacks,
644
00:54:59,440 --> 00:55:02,040
the despair morphed into poetry.
645
00:55:30,160 --> 00:55:32,960
Captions by Red Bee Media
(c) SBS Australia 2022
52994
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.