Tuesday 17 May 2022 01:10 PM Ukraine war: President Zelensky seen with his wife for first time since invasion trends now
Volodymyr Zelensky has been pictured with wife Olena for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine almost three months ago, as the couple attended the funeral of the country's first president in Kyiv today.
The Zelenskys looked calm but exhausted as they walked together to lay flowers on top of the coffin of Leonid Kravchuk, who became the first to lead an independent Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. He died at the weekend, at the age of 88.
Dressed all in black instead of his now-trademark military green, Zelensky's hands hung loose at his sides while his wife balled hers into a fist, as if resisting the urge to reach out and clasp her husband after so long apart.
They were joined by other dignitaries including Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko as the funeral took place in Ukrainian House on Tuesday, in a city still trying to recover from Russia's attempt to seize the city.
Olena's appearance comes a month after she revealed that she has only spoken to her husband by phone since the war broke out, fearful that joining him in the Ukrainian capital would put her and their two young children at risk of being killed.
Recalling some of the last words her husband spoke to her in person, Olena said Zelenska woke her as the first Russian missiles slammed into the city, saying only: 'It started.'
As troops arrived to protect Zelensky from squads of Russian assassins they knew would be heading to the presidential palace, Olena and her children - Aleksandra, 17, and Kiril, nine - were whisked away.
It is not clear exactly when she returned to Kyiv, but the couple spent at least the six weeks apart.
Asked what she said to her children, the First Lady told Vogue magazine: 'There is no need to explain anything to children. They see everything, as does every child in Ukraine.
'Surely, this is not something that children should see – but children are very honest and sincere. You can’t hide anything from them.'
She spoke of the patriotism embedding itself within Ukrainian youths because of the war, who she said would grow
