It seems straight out of an action movie: As the capital city becomes a war zone, the defiant president looks into the camera and delivers a clear and compelling message: “I am here. We will not lay down any weapons.”
That’s exactly what Ukrainian President and onetime actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy did on Feb. 25, 2022, in a selfie-style video viewed 3 million times within an hour – part of an effort to mobilize international opinion against the Russian invasion of his country. And it appears to be working. The comedian-turned-politician is credited with convincing European leaders to take actions considered unthinkable just a week ago, such as Germany sending weapons directly to Ukraine.
But what is it about his videos – made with an iPhone and posted on social media sites like Facebook, Telegram, and Twitter – that have been so compelling in rallying global public opinion behind Ukraine and against Russia?
As an expert in digital social media platforms, I believe there are three reasons Zelenskyy’s videos instantly made the war in Ukraine deeply personal and resonant for so many. And in particular, for this analysis, I want to single out videos posted on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, which seem to have garnered the most attention.