A Look Inside Ukraine President Zelensky's 'War Room' Where he Leads Fightback Against Russia

Volodymyr Zelensky has been standing with his forces, to boost their morale against a much stronger Russia.

Advertisement
Read Time: 4 mins
Volodymyr Zelensky is confident that Ukraine will win the war. (File Photo)

It's been more than one year since Russia launch a full-scale offensive against Ukraine and the war has been still raging on. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has been at the forefront - not as a soldier but as a leader - to boost the morale of their forces, which are taking on the bigger and much-advanced rival. Mr Zelensky has been lauded across the world for choosing to stay within the country and not relocate despite given an offer by US and other countries.

He closely monitors the war, visits injured soldiers and appeals to the world to send modern weapons and find ways to stop Russia. He does most of these works from an underground bunker.

Mr Zelensky has given a glimpse of this 'war room' on many occasions. This time, as the war completed one year, he allowed makers of documentary 'Year' to visit the bunker. He also talked about things that have kept him inspired to keep fighting.

According to Metro, the bunker has a sink and a single bed, and is filled with small decorative trinkets.

''This is my home, I've been living here for a year,'' Mr Zelensky told documentary maker Dmytro Komarov.

The President, when asked about the time he came to the bunker for the first time after being told about the invasion, said he got a call that ''it all had started''.

''We woke up with my wife, my family, my son, my daughter who were sleeping. I definitely thought about waking the kids up, packing up everyone. I left very fast. I love my family, but for me as president, being here was a priority,'' he said, according to Metro.

Mr Zelensky said his family joined him hours later.

In the 'war room', he has a telephone, a bust of Winston Churchill and small models of fighter jets and battleships. Mr Zelensky has used the telephone to call 27 leaders in the morning of February 24 last year, as Russian tanks were rolling towards Kyiv.

Advertisement

The Ukrainian President said he decided against leaving his country as he did not want to betray his people.

''I was told to pack up, because I was a target, that they have to do everything they can to get me to a safe place. I didn't think about what might happen, about myself. This is not about bravery. I thought about the consequences of my leaving and what would happen. The responsibility is on me.''

Mr Zelensky also showed the documentary maker his wardrobe, which, according to Metro, is mostly made up of khaki green sweaters and jackets. He also has one suit that has been untouched since the invasion, still kept in its dry-cleaning bag.

Mr Zelensky has saved it to wear on or after the day of a Ukrainian victory.

Featured Video Of The Day
Exclusive: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister On Industrial Policy, BR Ambedkar Row
Topics mentioned in this article