Volodymyr Zelensky
'I need ammunition, not a ride': Zelenskyy is the hero his country needs as Russia invades
President Zelenskyy has proven himself in time of war. He had no political experience, no military preparation, but he has nerves of steel and the courage to lead in a time of terrifying violence.
![Portrait of Carli Pierson](/https/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2023/09/18/USAT/0d313e0f-f8ee-4394-b570-99108c63a0e1-thumbnail_IMG_9762_2.jpg?crop=1919,1919,x0,y18&width=48&height=48&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
USA TODAY
Often heroes come from unexpected places. That is certainly the case with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The president's social media posts of himself, and with his advisers, have caught the world's attention. No longer dressed in the blue and gray suits of bureaucrats, Zelenskyy now makes his appearances in green fatigues. The message is clear: He is battle-ready. While many wondered whether the president would survive the night as Russia bombarded the country's capitol, Saturday morning Zelenskyy appeared in a self-filmed video in Kyiv telling the world that he doesn't want to flee his country.
"I need ammunition, not a ride," he said in Ukrainian. A phrase the world must never forget.