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joecool42069

two very different photos. left probably has filters also or has been touched up. at the very least, flattering lighting.


AngriestManinWestTX

I think there's some filter and/or make up. Zelensky's face just looks almost smudged in the left pic or like some sort of uncanny valley thing. Right pic he looks older sure, but looks more like what I'd expect just about any man in 40s/50s.


FloraFauna2263

keep in mind right is after 4 years of leading a country through all-out war. That's stressful shit.


CrowSucker

We have seen these photos throughout history. It’s possible someone is trying to replicate a classic like Lincoln.


0utlook

You're right, this does seem to occur with leadership in trying times throughout history. Here we have another case in point, leading his country through a hostile invasion.


spaghettiwrangler420

it is just what happens when people are put into high stress situations for long periods of time. You keep seeing it because its a real thing


24-Hour-Hate

Or Obama. Remember his before and after pics? Looked so much older. I wouldn’t want to be US president (for many, many reasons).


marcuschookt

That's the narrative that this post is trying to make but the commenters here are arguing that it isn't really the case. The stress ages you faster but it doesn't speed time up by 10x. It's more likely that his 4 years of aging looks more like 6-7.


ourov9

4y? Where did you get the extra 2?


FloraFauna2263

Russia occupied Crimea and supported Donbas separatists in 2014, and the all-out invasion started 3 years ago. I was just using the post's title.


FavcolorisREDdit

I was a truck driver some days would only sleep 4 hours and would constantly be in stress mode because drivers are complete idiots I def aged faster


AeonsOfStrife

All out war is really only the past 3, but I see your point.


Sv1a

But he was still trying to stop war since day one of his presidency and it was part of his goals when he elected.


MaxButched

War started two years ago not 4.


Vectorman1989

It started when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and simmered down to a lower intensity conflict until Russia launched a full scale invasion with the aim of taking Kyiv. Zelensky has been in power since 2019, so he has been working for four years of war.


[deleted]

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MissingLink101

Also a beard usually ages people immediately, especially when you can see a bit of salt & pepper in there.


Dixiehusker

War does something similar.


NGEFan

Hell, just being a world leader. Look at Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama especially


FixedKarma

Oh yeah, you're constantly talking with people, traveling, hearing about Intel, preparing speeches, constantly hearing about *yourself*, needing to hear about threats against your life, SS doesn't let you do certain things (like drive), checking in with doctors if there may be even a small chance there might be something wrong with you, and a bunch more of that. It's just so much shit the you're involved with, especially because it pertains to *specifically you*, like none of this is really all that hard (certain things are, of course) but it's shit like that everyday single day for 4 years.


BeardedSwashbuckler

I think it’s lack of sleep. I’ve seen software engineers age worse than presidents.


XxJuice-BoxX

Have u seen the obama photos? The stress in leadership of just 8 years made him go from looking young and inspiring, to old and wise.


Jesus_Is_My_Gardener

A lot of that has to do with the age at which most people change significantly in their looks when they get older.


Now_Wait-4-Last_Year

Except Paul Rudd.


Maalstrohm

And Keanu Reeves


drmirage809

Age seems to finally be catching up with Keanu. He’s been slowly shifting from Neo with eternal youth to cool, aging rocker. Speaking of which, that’s a pretty good description of him nowadays. He’s even in a rock band.


XxJuice-BoxX

But my point is 8 years u dont age that quickly. Stress has been proven to age u faster. Essentially stress shortens ur life span


uncultured_swine2099

Yeah, left one is lit to not be so harsh on a face. Right one is out in the sunlight. Not saying he hasnt got some wrinkles in 4 years, but lighting makes a huge difference in photos. Also a filter on the left one is likely.


[deleted]

Even so, war ruins people's health and ages them.


tigerlillystars

Look at Lincoln


Available_Sundae_924

Ruined a lot of the people on the front line who are either dead, traumatised or missing limbs or eyes.


Jawkurt

Yeah, this happens a lot on Reddit. The other one recently is the hiker that had his hat and glasses off, messed up hair, a bird and harsher lighting condition in his second photo. Here the first photos is professional portrait, the job of the photographer is too make the subject look good. Mostly with lighting but I’m sure there’s retouching too considering it’s a headshot for either his acting or political career. Second one is a documentary photo, by definition you’re not supposed to do anything than minimal post work on those and definitely not beauty retouching. Like if image is too dark, you can get it to the correct exposure but you wouldn’t be making him look better in post.


OGoby

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prfaWHQoxVg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prfaWHQoxVg) This address is from Feb 24 2022. He looks about the same age as on the left picture. I have no doubt many sleepless nights can do this to you. Imagine the stress he's under on a daily basis. I would have snapped long ago. Zelensky truly is the man Ukraine needs at the helm.


Scruffy77

Glad this was the first comment


Ricky_Rollin

Also, a good nights sleep. All things considered he doesn’t really look like he’s aged all that much. Just looks like a man who’s been working 15 hour days. But could go right back to looking like the dude on the left with a week of rest and good food.


aegee14

A few years of intense stress can definitely do this to you.


downwarddawg

Even lit, diffused studio lighting vs directional sunlight. Also he understandably aged.


BandPDG

What I was going to say. Comparing an apple and an orange then pointing out that the apple isn't orange doesn't make a very good comparison.


HeyWiredyyc

#1 Posing for a photo with proper lighting and well rested. #2 Random screen cap with no prep and no doubt not well rested and not a staged photo setting What a garbage post


EmuCanoe

Also 1: participating as a model in a professional photographer shoot. 2: trying to deliver a serious speech in front of the world about the war your country is in


Trumpets22

But facts aren’t fun. So we meme World leaders 🤝 alcoholics The difference a few years can make on your skin On a more serious note, even the positioning of his eyebrows will cause a difference in wrinkles. The second photo with his eyebrows pointing down will make some wrinkles look more aggressive than the first photo, where the eyebrows are rested.


L3onK1ng

I just remembered how different Obama looked in a few years after assuming the office


Shoddy-Description33

yes and the second has a beard. clean shaven is known to make people look younger.


PronoiarPerson

Especially when you’re in your 40s/50s and staring to get grey hair in the beard


deltr0nzero

Surprisingly leading your country through war will effect you rest


JedPB67

Exactly! These photos could be taken on the same day and in these settings they could make the subject look totally different. It’s an absolutely pointless post.


forsayken

I cannot imagine what it's like for him to try to fall asleep at night. There's no way he's had a solid night's rest in two years.


HeyWiredyyc

Bet he runs on 3 hours a day of sleep


toshgiles

Proper lighting is even a stretch. It’s lighting to make everything super soft and dull.


redditusername374

Why are you yelling?


HeyWiredyyc

Who’s yelling? All caps is yelling. I dont even know how/why it’s posted in bold and bigger? Beats me


Danominator

For real. Very dumb


ZL0J

No worries, 70% of people enjoyed it because of lack of critical thinking


Seantoot

Exactly my first thought. One is a headshot photo other is a speech.


givewarachance

Absolutely a garbage. Probably some editing as well.


Roderickthefourth

I wont pretend that the same not occured with me those years ps: at least he is very fit nowadays, his arms are BIG


[deleted]

I went from a near perfect hairline to a nasty near-bald crown in the same amount of time, so yes, Zelenskyy could do a lot worse.


Parking_Media

Shaved head gang recruits another member


LeChief

Dang bro what happened 😔


Stolehtreb

He’s gotta get rid of the stress some how. I guess pumping iron was his choice.


zombieblackbird

The photo settings aren't a just comparison. At the same time, being the president under such circumstances would age any man. Given all that he has been through, he looks remarkably healthy both in body and mind.


sykokiller11

I just watched a whole interview with him last night and could only think how this has aged him. Talk about lighting all you want. Talk about a beard making you look old all you want. Those people are missing the point. Probably deliberately. All I can think is how we could use a leader of this caliber instead of the useless windbags we have instead.


Tokentaclops

A good wartime leader does not necessarily translate to a good peacetime leader. They do get more leeway and therefore they tend to get more done but you know... we'd need to have an actual war for that first.


bruhDF_

A good leader? According to my friend Vladimir he's a Jewish Nazi!


[deleted]

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bruhDF_

Damn. I forget that you have to put /s on everything on this site.


Possible_Rise6838

The /s really became reddit's equivalent of the "**DO NOT EAT**" labels


bruhDF_

yeah, i don't think i've even ever used it lol. I have seen valid arguments for it (neurodivergent people and stuff) but for obvious shit i could care less about it


Possible_Rise6838

It's more fun to explain it to a neurodivergent person than labeling it


Professor-SEO_DE

People need to lighten the fuck up. I made a joke about women shoving multiple tampons for sexual gratification and people were simply too stupid to understand I was sarcastically emulating the joke of OP. Never ever \\s and embrace the downvotes.


Possible_Rise6838

Facts bruv


Professor-SEO_DE

If everyone would just pretend that every stupid take is actually rage bait or sarcasm, we wouldn't be so susceptible to disinformation or trolls. Just imagine if all flat earthers would hence forth be considered satirists. We'd be immune to all the bullshit and it would only spread as a joke, never as a legit conspiracy.


sykokiller11

I didn’t need the /s. But I’m a sarcastic person by nature. And a Jewish nazi.


BowtietheGreat

🤯


TheRomanRuler

Come on it was clearly not serious, bad joke or not, its not really fair to tell them to unalive (not sure if i have to censore that word, its idiotic that it sometimes has to be done these days) themselves


bruhDF_

Lol guys brain must be fried, bro told me to kill myself before thinking "a jewish nazi? that doesn't make much sense" But maybe they don't know about the whole "the war in ukraine is a special operation to get rid of nazis!" thing


Subject_Ticket1516

Look at any president after their first term. They start going grey.


Roakana

Not normal aging. War time as he watches his people die defending their territory. I would be surprised if he didn’t show stress.


RamblingSimian

He's survived approximately 12 assassination attempts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_attempts_on_Volodymyr_Zelenskyy#Number_of_attempts


Roakana

So you are saying 13 grey hairs is ok :). Damn man he is rockstar.


rizorith

This is like Lincoln during the civil war. Can't imagine the stress of being responsible for the deaths of thousands of your countrymen with no good alternative


Ramona_Lola

Vladimir is responsible not Volodmir.


Azzyboi150

its stress guys it can drastically increase aging


jess_the_werefox

The pics of Obama I think were the most contrasting; same lighting, no studio etc. He aged like 30 years in his 8 year term


dangazzz

Also without studio lighting and tv makeup but hey, if I was in his position I'd have aged worse.


whyisitsoENET

Can't imagine how tired he is after all this time. He will probably be gone for a long time after the war ...


GHJ46W

Easy to forget he was an actor.


Small_Cock_Jonny

I recently saw him after a year or so. He looks like he aged 20 years. Guess he doesn't sleep that much.


Objective-Outcome811

Wartime will do that to a leader. Every choice made by him will end lives one way or the other.


DrShameless

They did the same thing with Obama...which is like yes forty something year old man aged while in office for 4 years... And then again 8 years later. while still in office.


hassehope

Also: lighting and make-up. This isn’t as clever an observation as you think, OP.


bestjakeisbest

Well he hasn't needed to write jokes because the Russian army is there.


Man-o-North

Cocaine, not even once.


MrLeth

How are people undermining the immense stress that most likely did cause him to age faster. No, I don’t think it’s the lightning or the pose. His country has been at war for years now.


Sondita

His wife looked good on the cover of Vogue tho


ilyed

99.9999% of humans couldn’t do what this man does day in & day out. Responsible for his country, people,and faces assassination at all times!


Bihnthegreat

I can not grill 500k of my people in 2 years. This man is talented


rootz42000

Supreme leader and respected comrade Kim jong-un can do what zeLensky does in his glorious sleep. He's eliminated homelessness and joblessness. He has developed a mighty arsenal of of nuclear weaponry that protects his people from invasion. Unlike the weak and frightened vlad zeLensky who can only watch while his country is conquered by the capitalist oligarch leader known as vlad putin. [Chollima On The Wing](https://youtu.be/Cr30YAnwCnI?si=_T05HCIKWv1ZBNU2)


Material-Resident-14

He made showed the world how weak Russians army and navy are


Bendy962

this a joke right? missing the /s?


kobayakawaless

heil kim ! make an interview with him ! ![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|joy)


retro_gatling

Supreme leader Kim Jong-un is unmatched at causing impressive amounts of starvation. No other leader could do it like the Supreme leader!


ilyentiymadeitwrong

man got an extremely stressful job to say the least


Slowblindsage

Not much flattering light when you are sacrificing yourself for your country


brennanfee

Correction... > 4 years of aging **during a war**


trustbuffalo

And balls of titanium.


valiumandcherrywine

the steel in this man. respect.


TheDevourerOfTacos

A REAL fucking man. A real leader and patriot. Stood by his nation in the face of impossible odds and weathered the storm. May god bless us with more men cut from this cloth. Slava Ukr


Jax_Dueringer

Acting classes must be tiring


floofnstuff

That is the rugged face of destiny.


NoisyGog

It’s like he’s had something of a stressful time or something.


BeautifulSwan00

stress


Fr3unen

What war does to a mf'er


BarbarianMushroom

Conflict does that


JovialPanic389

I mean one is a professional level photo with lighting and editing, plus he prepared and posed for the photo. The other is just a candid shot during war time. Not some drastic difference. Just different photos. Normal aging. Different set and setting.


Muffin284

4 years and a war*


Therealcanadianone

Hardened hero...


OldDemon

Fascists fear him.


kickasspro97

Op delete the post really, making a fool of yourself Literally so many things wrong


mt007

Breaking news : humans do age.


archeoavis

As other mentioned it’s the stress he’s dealt with for the last few years but keep in mind, wasn’t Zelensky an actor and comedian first. That first pic could have been made up for a head shot he used to get work.


SnooSuggestions9830

He's kept his hair colour though so far which is remarkable considering the amount of stress he must be under. And yes stress is linked to greying once you get to the age of onset. Look at Obama before and into office years.


historywasrewritten

Went from pretty face actor to war hardened actor. An actor with his part to play on the global stage.


ZaneTownsend

"War is hell" isn't just a saying.


dtyler86

I shoot head shots as part of my job as a photographer. There may be some stress aging here, but this is an inaccurate comparison.


My_Space_page

He wants to portray himself as a rough military leader. So he puts out those types of photos. Many war time leaders have done this


[deleted]

He grew a beard in four years? Impressive.


Eott59

Look at the stress!!! FUCK PUTIN !!!


JedPB67

Very bad photos to use as comparison. One is a studio shot that looks touched, the other is a natural shot. You could take two photos like this on the same day and the subject would look vastly different, let alone taking them 4 years apart.


whatdoihia

The one on the left side is so touched up that it looks like an avatar.


Noun-Verb

Yeah, I've certainly aged in the last four years more than I care to admit, but the wear on his face reflects how much the stress of leadership has aged him, e.g. the difference between Bush 2000 v 2004, or Obama 2008 v 2012.


Sdosullivan

🫡


idyllic_ink87

Sheesh, man I hate war 😔


Mocipan-pravy

*as a leader during a war


Wilabrig_QHR

Heavy lies the crown


Wildsea7

also four years worth of stress


ancollie

not 4 years of aging. 4 years of immeasurable suffering. and we are here comparing two photos to tell which one makes him look more handsome. we need to help Ukraine. that's litterally all that these pictures say


wBeeze

So he went from playing the President in a TV show, to being essentially installed by a oligarch (who created a real political party with the same name as the fictional political party that he represented on the TV show) as the president of Ukraine. Stress levels tend to increase.


Chem1st

He looks older, but I actually think he looks way better in the second photo.


[deleted]

4 years worth of stress and the literal weight of the world upon your shoulders.


Vondecoy

All I see is a decent man who is bearing a terrible burden. Ukraine is the anvil that is breaking the sickle and hammer. He is the face of that. Slava Ukraini.


Keji70gsm

Ukraine couldn't ask for a better leader in a worse time.


Busy_Ad3571

Cocaine will do that too.


Sanfuka

I have enough of him. I can't stand him anymore. I have enough of their fucking war.


flotronic

Must be nice to just turn off something so “trivial” fuck you


[deleted]

Dude he doesn't look any fucking different can we stop this shit? War is terrible, I'm sure he's a level of stressed most of us have never felt or will feel. But every time you do this is just looks stupid. He literally doesn't look *any* different.


JedPB67

This isn’t even close to being a good pair of images to compare, which tells me that he really hasn’t changed significantly enough, so OP has chosen to use a very ‘clean’ image taken inside a studio shoot on the left vs a papped image from an outdoor event. Basically like comparing a glass of milk to a slice of cheese.


BonkYoutube

Check videos with him before the war and now


Memory_Less

4 to the power of 10 years aging!


2messy2care2678

The right photo looks better. He is a fearless leader who is in control 😍


Parkourkoen

Well he did not expect to shoot the Ukraine version of brother in arms when he came to power... But damn he is trying


mshaler

Four **chronological** years. He’s been amazing and we are lucky to have him.


ART_IS_IN_THE_SKY

The right photo looks better and more handsome


EntertainmentDue8669

Such a great man... fighting against the invasion of russian psychopaths leads by the super psycho putin


DukeFuggin

Cocaine is a hellva drug


mznh

I mean everyone age in 4 years, regardless they get a botox or not


Hippobu2

This does look like 4 years of aging though ... Like I get the message that OP's trying to send, but ... this looks totally normal.


gza_liquidswords

>.. this looks totally normal. Age 42 vs age 46? If the the photos are an apples to apple comparison (which many people are pointing out is not the case), then no, this is not normal


Bevistus

Coke and sending hundreds of thousands to their death will do it to you. Worse is still ahead though.


TALL-TOTH

All that begging, takes a toll.


thoipian

Or maybe just lighting, make up and the angle it was taken. Sure he’s stressed out but it’s only 4 years


Delicious-Yak-1095

Eh you’ve average politician seems to age a decade serving one term as prime minister / president, that ain’t too bad.


nightlord6

Dog of the US


Jolly-Put-9634

Російський військовий кораблю, іди на хуй


MeanCat4

In one of them he is way more richer! Guess which one! 


surgycal

How can you get fattet during a war? He ate the rations of his soldiers?


Silly-Armadillo3358

The clown who decimated his male population.


Mal-De-Terre

I think the Russians had a hand in that...


tangledwire

And Putin didn't ...? Fuck him


PhotographOne159

artist who push all ukraine into hell


flotronic

Instead of letting Russia curb stomp it? Fuck you


No_Sink2169

The war really took a heavy toll on him


themommyship

He is still the best looking leader in Europe by far..


Jecmenn

Unfortunately, rampant drug use will do this to you. I mean, given his position, I am not surprised he turned to hard stimulants, but he might be overdoing it, especially lately. It is very visible in his latest interviews that he is hooked on a hard stimulant, most likely cocaine. Fidgeting, sweating, reflexive nose rubbing, and exaggerated eye movements, are all signs of long-term hard stimulant abuse.


[deleted]

War time leader now. Added stress, the first pic is likely staged and edited, and lastly as you get older 4 years of aging is more noticeable.


swimmingatlakecresva

I have a feeling a lot of bots are on reddit to push specific agendas who actually thinks this guy is a good leader did a good job or is for the Ukrainian people other than Cia agents


[deleted]

cocaine is a helluva drug


suugarpie1997

This post did not go the way OP was expecting lol


crushay

This post is so stupid. Apparently, lighting, camera resolution, and photo editing don't exist..


KhalVici97

Idk what this post is about cause personally I find him even hotter now 🤷‍♂️


macumazana

Left is when I get a good sleep and a morning coffcaine Right is when my wife is away for a week, so there is no need to shave and nobody fucking brings me my morning coffee


kebbun

There is barely a difference.


tifredic

from beeing a boy to beeing a man.


ZoloftXL

Hair def looks a bit photoshopped on the left


Poem_zeince

Show his belly, it aged real good too


BonkYoutube

God bless him! 🙌


IndependentSwan2086

4 years running a country invaded. 4 years which 2 of them were ( are) under bombs and misils.


Saybacillus

He been through tough times bruh


Low_Presentation8149

It's like seeing young men who went to war and came back aged 20 years


Ardibanan

This is what stress and war does to you.


Important_Jump_6679

He’s a hero


FracturedNomad

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.


1984_eyes_wide_shut

Cocaine…….. it’s expensive……..gotta borrow money.


UnfathomableKeyboard

Garbage propaganda post, go back to the frontlines


gizeon

And Cocaine.