How Putin has made Ukrainean president Zalensky worldwide super star hero!

SATURDAY BREAKFAST with TONY OKOROJI

The big plan of Russian President Vladmir Putin was to use his awesome military machine and in 4 days overwhelm the people of Ukraine, take over their capital, Kyiv and install a puppet as President to grab control of a conquered Ukraine from its elected leader, Volodymyr Zelensky.

It has not quite worked out that way. We have entered the fourth week of the relentless artillery bombardment and unprecedented aerial bombing of innocent men, women and children of Ukraine, with thousands killed, millions on the run as refugees and their infrastructure decimated but Putin is nowhere near the prize.

Latest reports are that the expected Russian advance into Kyiv is stalled. The Russian army which has suffered unexpected heavy losses has assumed a defensive position. They obviously did not believe that what Putin has termed “Special Military Operation” will last this long or that they would face this stiff resistance. It looks like they have run out of essential supplies: food, fuel and spare parts for their heavy equipment. They have also lost many tanks, a lot of men with three Generals reportedly killed.

This has become a classic case of David and Goliath.

Another incredible outcome of Putin’s war of choice is that the man he has planned to annihilate, his enemy number one, Volodymyr Zelensky, has become the kind of international personality that Putin will never-never be.

In less than 3 weeks. the 44-year old, tee shirt wearing President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has achieved a status the world has never known. The reverence, admiration and adulation Zelensky is getting across the world has never been seen in history.

Within one week, Zelensky was given the rare honour of addressing the British Parliament via satellite, with the British Prime Minister present. He received a sustained standing ovation. Zelensky followed up with addressing the Canadian Parliament with the Prime Minister Trudeau present. The standing ovation was even more sustained. Lo and behold, the entire Congress of the United States of America stopped everything else and sat in rapt attention as Zelensky spoke to them from Kiev and showed images of the carnage that Putin has wrought in Ukraine. The reception was electric. Zelensky has also addressed the German Parliament. I am not aware that any other individual has received this kind of honour ever before.

Volodymyr Zelensky is not an American citizen but a new poll conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute shows that the Ukrainian President is leading both Republicans and Democrats in the 2024 race for the White House!

Members of the European Parliament and the government of various European countries have also asked the Nobel Committee to consider the nomination of Zelensky for the Nobel Peace Prize.

During the week, the Prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic made a long, hazardous train journey from Poland to Kyiv to show their support to Zelensky as Kyiv was being bombed by the Russians and the city was under curfew.

Why is the world celebrating Volodymyr Zelensky? He has shown true leadership and bravery that is rare. He has rallied and inspired his people and the world to take on the mighty Russians. He has shown himself to be a master of communication in the digital world. When the Americans offered to take Zelensky away to safety from Ukraine, he is reported to have rejected the offer saying, “the fight is here. I need anti-tank ammunitions, not a ride”. He is now getting the anti-tank ammunitions and they are having a devastating effect on the Russian army
On being elected, Zelensky whose political party is called “Servant of the People” asked Ukrainian government officials not to hang his photograph in their offices but to hang the photographs of their children so that before they take any decision, they would look at the faces of their children and think of the effect of the decision they are about to take.

Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, television personality and actor was born in the industrial city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine and raised in an “ordinary Soviet Jewish family.
I have written before that Vladmir Putin may have made a historic mistake. He betted that the world cannot do without Russia’s oil and gas and that the Germans cannot shut down the Russian multi-billion-dollar Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. Germany has shut down Nord Stream 2. He betted that with the softening of the NATO Alliance by his friend, Donald Trump, the alliance will scatter and not be united enough to take him on. He underestimated Joe Biden. NATO is today more united than ever. He betted that the people of Ukraine will melt away at the oncoming shock and awe of the huge Russian army and that he is such a talented actor and that he would fool the world with his choreographed drama on TV. He obviously underestimated Zelensky.
Tragic as this episode is, Vladmir Putin has done great service to the world. He has helped the world to settle the recent debate about which is better: democracy or autocracy. He has exposed the huge danger of autocratic leadership.

Putin wanted to be the Super-Hero of the world. He failed. But thank you Vladmir Putin for letting the world see a true life international super- hero, Volodymyr Zelensky!

See you next week.