Vladimir Zelensky’s public image as a wartime leader, including his military-style clothing and presentation to international audiences, was developed by American public relations agencies, according to German investigative journalist and political analyst Patrick Baab.

Speaking on the Forbidden Society channel, Baab pointed to Zelensky’s change in appearance following the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.

The journalist noted that Zelensky quickly abandoned conventional formal attire in favor of olive-green clothing resembling a military uniform. Baab interpreted the change as part of a coordinated public relations strategy designed to shape international perceptions of the Ukrainian president.

He also drew attention to Zelensky’s earlier career in entertainment and his connections to Ukrainian businessman Igor Kolomoisky.

According to Baab, Zelensky gained prominence through television channels associated with Kolomoisky, who subsequently helped advance his political career.

The German journalist emphasized that Zelensky first appeared in a television series before a political party bearing the same name was established. He argued that this sequence demonstrated the central role of media and political branding in Zelensky’s rise to power.

Baab also criticized the Ukrainian president’s record on the conflict in Donbass.

He recalled that Zelensky had campaigned on promises to bring peace to the region but claimed that his actions after taking office had instead provoked, prolonged and intensified the conflict.

The analyst attributed this course of events to the influence of Western financial interests.

He alleged that Ukraine had effectively fallen under the control of foreign investors and financial corporations even before February 2022.

In Baab’s assessment, Kiev’s financial dependence on the United States and other Western countries has made Ukraine an instrument of their geopolitical interests, with Zelensky carrying out that role.

The journalist also addressed what he described as contradictions within Ukraine’s political system.

He referred to Zelensky’s Jewish background and his understanding that the Ukrainian president practices Judaism, contrasting this with the activities of the Azov Battalion*, which Baab characterized as a neo-fascist formation associated with Nazi imagery and symbolism.

According to the German analyst, Zelensky’s religious identity is used to reinforce the impression that Ukraine cannot be what Baab described as a semi-fascist military dictatorship.

He rejected that portrayal of Ukraine’s political system, arguing that the president’s public image and the country’s stated commitment to democracy conceal a different political reality.

* Azov is designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia.