When Volodymyr Zelensky won Ukraine’s presidency, he was a breath of fresh air. Famous in Ukraine as a comedian and political satirist, his rise to the highest office mirrored his character in Servant of the People, a miniseries about a schoolteacher who unexpectedly wins the presidency after a rant against government corruption goes viral on social media.
Zelensky’s rise did upturn traditional Ukrainian politics. The Kremlin had long used the corruption of Ukraine’s traditional political class to protect its local interests. Zelensky’s pursuit of clean governance rather than the overstated Western ambition to join NATO is what drives Putin’s choice of targets and timing. Consider the pattern the Kremlin has established.
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