Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has been a figure of stoicism and defiance since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a "military operation in eastern Ukraine", igniting war.

Standing alongside Zelensky has been his wife - Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine. And she has been using her platform to continue reminding the world of the atrocities occurring in Ukraine, calling for further support and for Russia to face consequences.

As she said this week - "Ukrainians were not preparing bomb shelters for missile attacks. But from the first days, after Russian missiles began hitting residential buildings in different cities, it became clear that Russia does not have mercy for peaceful lives. All Ukrainians stopped feeling safe."

And while Zelensky has become Putin's number one target, Olena has shared she always feared for her husband if he went into politics - for this reason exactly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shares a message from Kyiv. Post continues below.

Video via USA Today.

Olena Zelenska, maiden name Kiyashko, was born in 1978 in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih.

And just like her now-husband, Olena went to Kryvyi Rih National University, studying architecture and later the subject of creative and nonfiction writing. It was at university where Olena and Zelensky met.

Now qualified as an architect and screenwriter, Olena's writing skills were the perfect accompaniment to Zelensky's passion for comedy and acting. So while Zelensky was making a name for himself in the Ukrainian entertainment industry and starting his own production company, Olena played just as pivotal of a role.

The pair dated for over eight years before deciding to get married in 2003, and they have been together ever since.

In 2015, Zelensky became the star of the television comedy and political satire series,Servant of the People. Ironically, he played the role of the President of Ukraine. Zelensky's character was a high-school teacher who surprisingly wins the country's presidential election after a video of him ranting against the government and political corruption goes viral and catapults him to fame.

Olena was actually a professional scriptwriter on her husband's comedy show. And given their series was political satire, poking fun at the then-Ukrainian government's corruption scandals, it didn't go down well with the people in power at the time.

"Volodymyr is never going to be anybody's puppet. We had a famous scandal when Kolomoisky (the former governor of a province in Ukraine) cancelled a broadcast of our political stage show on his TV channel because of political jokes. Volodymyr called him on the phone and yelled so loudly that I thought we would never air our shows on TV again. That was the turning point when we defended our independence," Olena reflected in an interview with the Daily Beast.

Listen to The Quicky: What did Putin just do? Post continues after audio.

It was during this time, that Zelensky felt the need to change the political system, according to Olena.

"We satirists used to joke about all public figures non-stop. Most politicians took our humour with dignity, the way it should be. But in the last five years authorities indicated 'the game is over'. That's when we decided to do something, to save our democracy. When TV channels one by one fell under the leadership's control, we realised if we didn't act, we'd end up in the same situation as Russia."

So three years afterServant of the Peoplebegan airing, Zelensky entered politics and founded a party aptly called Servant of the People. He had no previous political experience, but was determined to bring "professional, decent people to power".

But interestingly, it was her husband's career path into politics that concerned Olena.

When Zelensky first voiced plans to pivot into politics, Olena was "aggressively opposed" to the idea, as she did not wish to live in the spotlight and the scrutiny that came with it. Not to mention, the couple now had two children who were growing up fast: daughter Oleksandra and son Kyrylo.

When asked what home life was now like after her husband became President, Olena told Vogue Ukraine in 2019 - "I do not have enough time alone with myself. I have got two kids, so I have rarely been alone before. I probably have had my only private space in the car, while driving. Now they have deprived me of this - I am always guarded. Now a bathroom is my only retreat (laughs). But I am lucky with people who are in my personal space now."

Amid the horrific situation in Ukraine, Olena and Zelensky's two children have been labelled major targets for Putin.

In a video statement, the Ukrainian President previous said - "The enemy has marked me down as the number one target. My family is the number two target. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state. I will stay in the capital. My family is also in Ukraine."

Olena confirmed this, writing on Instagram - "I will not have panic and tears. I will be calm and confident. My children are looking at me. I will be next to them. And next to my husband. And with you."

She continued - "My dear people! Ukrainians! I'm looking at you all today. Everyone I see on TV, on the streets, on the Internet. I see your posts and videos. And you know what? You are incredible! I am proud to live with you in the same country!"

In a second statement at the start of the war, Olena who is with her children is at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, shared the story of just how real and raw this conflict is becoming for Ukrainian citizens.

"This child was born in the Kyiv bomb s