Volodymyr Zelensky, also spelled Volodymyr Zelenskyy, (born January 25, 1978, Kryvyy Rih, Ukraine, U.S.S.R. [now in Ukraine]), Ukrainian actor and comedian who was elected president of Ukraine in 2019. Although he was a political novice, Zelensky’s anti-corruption platform won him widespread support, and his significant online following translated into a solid electoral base. He won a landslide victory over incumbent Petro Poroshenko in the second round of the 2019 presidential election. President Zelensky’s leadership during the Russian invasion of Ukraine won him global acclaim.