{"id":186090,"date":"2019-04-01T07:09:37","date_gmt":"2019-04-01T07:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=186090"},"modified":"2022-03-02T17:45:27","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T17:45:27","slug":"comedian-crushes-ukrainian-presidential-contenders-in-exit-polls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=186090","title":{"rendered":"Comedian Crushes Ukrainian Presidential Contenders in Exit Polls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tyler Durden \u2013 Russia Insider April 1, 2019<\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n

A popular comedian seen as “soft” on Russia and who said he would actually sit down with Vladimir Putin to talk peace looks to upset Ukrainian politics, as he’s significantly\u00a0leading in exit polls during Sunday’s presidential elections<\/strong>\u00a0in Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who incidentally played the president on TV as part of his comedy career has according to exit polls\u00a0cited by the BBC<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0received 30.4% of the vote, with current president\u00a0Petro Poroshenko second with 17.8%<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Ukrainian comedian and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky, via Pacifica Press. Click to enlarge<\/p><\/div>\n

“I’m very happy but this is not the final result,” Zelenskiy told the BBC moments after\u00a0after the exit polls were announced, while incumbent\u00a0Poroshenko, who has led Ukraine since the February 2014 Maidan conflict that toppled\u00a0former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, described the forecast of his defeat as a\u00a0“harsh lesson”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though there have been reports of election violations, President\u00a0Poroshenko acknowledged\u00a0Sunday\u2019s presidential election as “free” and having legitimately\u00a0“met international standards,” according to\u00a0Reuters<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/a>. The country of 44 million is choosing from a packed field of 39 presidential candidates; however Zlelenksy\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/em>already very familiar to much of the population through TV\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/em>has\u00a0consistently polled as the front runner<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ukraine’s president will be determined during the\u00a0April 21 run-off, where\u00a0Zelensky is projected to beat both\u00a0Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The\u00a041-year-old Zelensky is as pro-EU as much of the rest of the field, but has kept things deliberately light, presenting himself as part-politician, part satirical comic, who has done little to campaign beyond presenting himself as a “common sense” citizen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly, his\u00a0willingness to speak both Ukrainian and Russian in public forums has made him popular in the Russian-speaking east of the country<\/strong>, according to the BBC, which\u00a0further reports<\/strong><\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Zelenskiy is\u00a0aiming to turn his satirical TV show Servant of the People – in which he portrays an ordinary citizen who becomes president after fighting corruption – into reality<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

He has torn up the rulebook for election campaigning, staging no rallies and few interviews, and appears to have no strong political views apart from a wish to be new and different.<\/span><\/p>\n

His extensive use of social media appealed to younger voters.<\/span><\/p>\n

It could be Ukrainians are ready for a general calming of tensions over and against Poroshenko’s tough anti-Russian and\u00a0pro-nationalist talk of “Army, Language, Faith”\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/em>and amid his corruption allegations and a recent scandal involving defense procurement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Exit polling suggests Zelenskiy will face president Poroshenko in the 2nd round on April 21. Poroshenko will try to make the newcomer look stupid in TV debates, Zelenskiy will harp on the president's wealth & corruption scandals. @RFERL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/YjcNUm94Ok<\/a><\/p>\n

— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) March 31, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n