Why does Zelenskyy have three nicknames in Ukrainian?

Ukrainians are inventive in cheering on AND insulting their presidents. Zelenskyy has not escaped this fate. Sometimes they call him Sanych, other times Zelupa, and still others Hetman.

Editor’s Note: In turbulent times, when the question of preserving Ukrainian statehood is raised again, Ukrainians unite. They face evil with irony and sarcasm. We explore Ukraine from unique angles, introducing you to the phenomena of Ukrainian resistance that others do not discuss.

Help us continue our human interest reporting on the ground. We'll bring you the most unique stories that other media miss. Join us!

"I never thought we'd be back in a timeline where I'm rooting for Zelenskyy!" my best friend joked as I picked her up from the train.

She was tired of Zelenskyy as she felt his domestic policies were not always in Ukraine's best interests. But now that Trump attacked Ukraine’s sovereignty and its top political figure, she has a different message for all of Ukraine’s haters.

Zelenskyy, she said, should “crush them all!” She even referred affectionately to him as ‘Hetman,’ a historical term for Ukraine’s great historical military leaders.

We have a conversation about Trump and the world's attempts to betray Ukraine once again. We haven't seen each other in six months. We both thought the world had gone crazy over that timeframe.

Unlike Russia, Ukraine has never had a cult of personality. Ukrainians criticize their government for even the most minor mistakes. They come up with insulting slogans and nicknames. This is what happens in a free country. The freedom to joke, to insult, to protest – these are signs of a healthy democracy.

And Zelenskyy has not escaped this trend.

After the paywall:

Why do Ukrainians call him Sanych when they back him, and Zelupa when they’re upset with him?

What does this wordplay, satire and political criticism say about Ukraine as a democracy?

Paid subscribers get access to all of our reporter’s notebooks, including this one!