Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky didn’t hold back as he shared what he really thinks of rival Vladimir Putin in a clip from before he entered politics – and it appears he has never been a fan of the Russian frontman
A hilarious clip of Volodymyr Zelensky taken before he became the President of Ukraine has resurfaced on social media – and it appears that even back then, he wasn’t a fan of Vladimir Putin.
In 2015, Zelensky created and starred in the satirical series Servant of the People. The show was somewhat prophetic, featuring Zelensky as Vasily Petrovych Goloborodko, who becomes president after a secretly-recorded video of him working as a school teacher goes viral on YouTube.
Fast forward four years, and Zelensky himself did indeed become president after beating rival candidate Petro Poroshenko with a staggering 73% of the vote. Now, a clip from the series has been shared on TikTok 10 years after it first aired, showing him delivering an expletive message to Putin years before the despot’s full-scale invasion.
Actress Kelli Hollis shared the clip, prompting her to wonder: “Was this his audition clip?” In the scene, Zelensky – as Goloborodko – receives a call from Germany’s then Chancellor, Angela Merkel, congratulating him on “allowing his country to join the European Union”.
A delighted Goloborodko responds: “Oh wow, I am so happy. Thank you very much. All the Ukrainians, all of our country were waiting for this for so much time.” However, the moment is ruined when Merkel realises she has called the wrong leader.
“Ukrainians?” Merkel asks. “I’m so sorry, my mistake. I was calling Montenegro.” A disheartened Goloborodko responds: “Montenegro? I see. My congratulations yes, to Montenegro. Bye bye.”
Following the conversation, Goloborodko exclaims in frustration: “F***! F***ing Putin!” The line sparked reactions online, with one TikTok user humorously suggesting: “Imagine if that was the reason Putin invaded, all because of him saying that in the episode.”
WARNING – explicit language in video below. Viewer discretion is advised
Another said of Zelensky’s performance: “Oscar worthy.” In response to recent jibes over his attire, a third quipped: “So he does own a suit then!”
A fourth person penned: “I really enjoyed watching this series of President Zelensky.” Whilst a fifth made a comparison: “Trump is a glorified actor too… reality tv star and a bad business man.”
Zelensky’s role in Servant of the People returned to the spotlight after his actual election as the President of Ukraine in 2019, where he walked out to the show’s theme tune upon his victory being declared.
When war descended on Ukraine three years later, the series experienced a surge in global demand and popularity. Netflix secured the rights to stream the first series in the US in March 2022, with the subsequent seasons released two months later.