The effects of war! Zelensky, once young and dashing, now has wrinkles on his face, while Putin remains the same.

News Topical, Digital Desk : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Oleksandrovich Zelensky was once a comedian. There was a time when Zelensky was a household name in every Ukrainian household. In both his private and public life, Zelensky maintained a light-hearted approach.

When he decided to run for president of Ukraine, he brought that same lightheartedness to politics. His opponents would give lengthy speeches, but he kept things light. He traveled across Ukraine with his comedy team, Kvartal 95, connecting with voters like no one else.

Facial glow faded

He won a landslide victory in the second round in April 2019, winning 73 percent of the vote, defeating then-President Petro Poroshenko by the largest margin.

But over time, the glow on Zelensky's face has faded. The Ukraine-Russia war began in 2022. Four years have passed. Zelensky looks very different now.

His face now bears deep lines, more battle fatigue than age. His glow is gone. His overgrown beard and military-style clothing have become his trademark. It seems as if war has prematurely aged him.

Putin remains the same

Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, is exactly the same as he was in 2022. Looking at his photographs from the beginning of the war to now, it seems as if time has stopped for him. This is the starkest visual contrast between the two leaders, which tells the entire story of the war.

Zelensky's transformation began with the Russian invasion. He rejected offers to leave Kyiv and recorded handheld videos from the streets of the capital. On the fourth anniversary of the battle, Zelensky released a video from his bunker on Bankova Street.

He said, “This office, this small room in the bunker... from here I spoke to world leaders at the beginning of the war. Here I spoke to US President Joe Biden. Then he said, 'Volodymyr, there is danger, you should leave Ukraine. We are ready to help.' But I stayed.”

Zelensky's changed look

As the war dragged on, Zelensky's suits were replaced by olive green military fatigues. But Putin remained unchanged. He continued to deliver televised addresses from the Kremlin's grand hall, often sitting at a very long table.

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