Flowered bedspreads, a walk-in closet and lots of clothes in olive green: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (45) showed TV journalists the temporary shelter in which he says he has lived since the beginning of the war.
“I actually live here,” says Zelensky in the film by journalist Dmytro Komarov (39), which was broadcast on Friday by the Ukrainian television channel 1+1. He was also there when the Russian attack on Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
“I’m not wearing suits right now”
The windows of the makeshift shelter are covered with thick curtains. The single bed has pillows and a floral bedspread. You will also see a TV, a chair and a desk.
Selenski also shows the camera crew his walk-in closet. Many jackets in olive green and camouflage hang from the pole, army boots on the floor. These are his “normal clothes,” says the Ukrainian president. “I’m not wearing suits right now.”
But then he pulls out a suit from the left corner of the closet – wrapped in foil and fresh from the dry cleaners. “This suit is a symbol that the war will soon end and victory will come,” says Zelensky in the film.
Villa in Italy would have been rented to Russians
The politician and former actor has lived in modest circumstances since the outbreak of the war. Rumors sometimes circulated on social media that Zelensky was a billionaire. In contrast, Forbes magazine estimates his fortune at around $20 million.
The Ukrainian president also owns a villa in the Tuscan resort of Forte dei Marmi. According to the research platform Slidstvo, he and his wife Olena would have bought the villa in 2017 for 3.8 million euros. The property has 15 rooms and a swimming pool.
Only last fall, rumors surfaced that Zelensky had rented the villa to Russian tourists for 50,000 euros. The broker responsible subsequently denied the allegations, stating that the tenants “cannot be Russians”.
“Will do everything to get the win”
It is probably no coincidence that Selenski is currently showing his accommodation. The involuntary war president may want to cheer on the Ukrainian people on the anniversary of the war. Time and time again he reports with video messages from the heart of Kiev or visits cities at the front.
Zelensky also addressed his compatriots in a video message on February 24. “We will do everything we can to win this year,” he said. “If our partners keep their promises and deadlines, victory is inevitable.” (SDA/AFP/obf)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
