The journalist was respected by the audience and colleagues for the ability to easily and freely keep both in the news and in the journalistic genre. Mikhail Zelensky devoted a quarter of a century to television and could have done a lot more in the profession, if not for his sudden death
Mikhail Zelensky stood at the very origins of the Vesti-Moscow program and hosted Live on Russia 1, personally amending the script and delving into the fate of each character in the program. Impeccable taste, excellent sense of humor, a disarming smile – the TV journalist effortlessly won the sympathy of the public.
There were legends about Mikhail Vladimirovich’s ability to work, but he was modest, noting that he did not want to complain about lack of sleep and fatigue, because 90 percent of Muscovites live like that. But didn’t Zelensky drive himself into round-the-clock work? After all, how else to explain the fact that a fit 46-year-old man died on vacation in the Dominican Republic on January 11? About high-profile achievements, love ups and downs and unfulfilled dreams of a journalist – in our material.
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Parents’ advice
Pope Mikhail Zelensky was a military doctor, so the future TV presenter often moved with his family, and lived most of his childhood and youth in Khabarovsk. The child’s hobbies were varied: for example, at the age of seven, figure skating became his passion. Coach Natalya Koberskaya immediately noted the artistry and sense of rhythm of the pupil, but Zelensky did not particularly strive to “plow” on the ice.
“He liked to fly out, to shine, to ignite the people – wow! I remember that we once went to a competition in Gorky – for Misha it was the first trip, and his grandmother from Moscow specially came there to look at her grandson. And, as luck would have it, he skated unsuccessfully, and even crashed his head on the ice! I sat neither alive nor dead – no longer for Mishka, but for my grandmother I was worried. But she did well – she didn’t panic, she didn’t get upset, she smiled as if nothing had happened, ”Koberskaya recalled.
Zelensky’s mother was a choreographer, and dad, as we have already mentioned, a doctor, so it is not surprising that the parents decided to combine two professions in the heir and make him a sports doctor. The obedient son studied at the same time at the medical and physical education institutes, but in addition, he worked as a DJ at the Radio A station.
From Khabarovsk to Moscow
For Khabarovsk in the 90s, Mikhail looked very bold: he wore a bandanna, torn jeans. The informal style attracted, alas, not only girls, but also reckless youth, so Zelensky more than once got into dangerous situations.
“One such trouble ended in a hospital. In fact, the entire radio station was engaged in the search for drugs, the organization of care, etc. They collected medicines from military hospitals. A certain period of time passed, and, probably, precisely because of this incident, Mikhail Zelensky decided to end up in Moscow. Khabarovsk was already small for him, ”said director Yevgeny Kaplun in the anniversary edition of the Live Broadcast program on the Russia 1 channel.
Mikhail himself admitted that he had been recovering for a long time after the story of the fight, and then the doctors and his fellow countrymen did something incredible. Due to trouble or because of a craving for art, but in the mid-90s Zelensky moved to Moscow, where he stormed theater universities. Without getting into either Sliver or Pike, the applicant entered the Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting Workers, and later also the journalism faculty of Moscow State University.
He got a job at Nostalgie radio, then he led the news on TVC and Vesti-Moscow on the Russia 1 channel. The audience was lucky to see the journalist in the role of a participant in the TV show: at Fort Boyard and in Dancing on Ice.
For two years, Mikhail Zelensky immersed himself in the stories of the heroes of Live, then gave up his place to Boris Korchevnikov and returned to Vesti-Moscow. Soon, the TV presenter became one of the torchbearers of the Sochi 2014 Olympic torch relay and filmed what was happening while passing the distance.
Zelensky’s merits are connected not only with the TV world: he became one of the authors of the Immortal Regiment project, which is well known to all Russians. In recent years, the journalist has hosted the programs “Week in the City”, “Ticket to the Bolshoi” and “Culture News”, which did not prevent him from teaching at Ostankino.
classmate
The most positive, open, gallant – Zelensky had no problems with the opposite sex. Except for the school years, when the boy did not yet know how to attract the attention of the girl he liked. Olga Drobina became such for Mikhail: unsuccessfully, the teenager pricked a classmate with a pencil in the back, Olya rejected such “courtesy”.
12 years had passed since high school graduation before Zelensky and Drobina clashed in Moscow. A chance meeting stirred up old feelings, and this time Mikhail managed to win the heart of a classmate. The lovers played a magnificent wedding in the Irish castle of Cliveden, but after a couple of years, those around them started talking about discord in the family.
Many blamed Zelensky’s partner in Dancing on Ice, Elena Grushina, for the divorce of the spouses, but the presenter made it clear that he had broken up with Olga six months before the start of the project. “Over time, something has changed in our relationship, we began to perceive any life situations in a completely different way. Someone, probably, would have tried to turn a blind eye to this, rebuild himself or “rebuild” his wife. But I see no reason to artificially preserve the union, in which some kind of strainedness, uncertainty has appeared. I am always for dialogue, and Olya and I discussed our problems more than once. As a result, together they came to the same conclusion: we must disperse, ”the TV journalist reasoned.
Figure skater
Zelensky was the first to take a step towards separation by filing for divorce. Then it seemed a dubious decision, but soon Mikhail was convinced that whatever was done was for the better. After all, when Elena Grushina was introduced to the dressing room, he was fascinated by her grace, champion status, and a truly “non-Moscow” tan. Of course, sometimes partners in “Dancing on Ice” quarreled over the work process, but in the end, joint training resulted in something much more than friendship.
They were at about the same life stage: Elena had already parted, but had not yet had time to formalize a divorce from Ruslan Goncharov. The couple maintained their friendship, so Ruslan often called Grushina, which embarrassed Zelensky, who showed his partner Moscow not only out of hospitality.
“For me, the most important thing was to hear from Elena Eduardovna answers to two questions: does she want to be with me and can she move from America to Moscow? Of course, I backed up the seriousness of my intentions with a marriage proposal. In general, I put Lena in front of a very difficult choice. After all, she had everything overseas – a big house, a good job, an established life. And, surprisingly, Lena, almost without hesitation, exchanged prosperity and stability for absolute obscurity. That is, she completely trusted me again. It is worth a lot, ”Mikhail Vladimirovich emphasized.
Since both the skater and the journalist already had weddings, this time they decided to limit themselves to painting in the registry office. Much more important was the fact that both felt complete readiness for the addition to the family. In 2008, the lovers had a daughter, Sonya, and four years later, Polina.
Mikhail Zelensky turned into a wonderful family man: along with his wife, he equipped the house, cooked, played with the children. But the idyll did not last forever, and in 2017, when Zelensky came out with Mila Rubinchik, the whole country learned about his new love and divorce, which no one had previously advertised.
From the outside, it seemed that the presenter maintained a good relationship with the ex-wife. However, in 2019, a dispute broke out between the former spouses over alimony, which spilled over into the courts for the division of property and the struggle for a clear order of communication with children. Lawsuits and appeals followed one after another, but the “i” were never dotted during the life of a TV journalist …
last love
Blogger Mila Rubinchik is seven years younger than the host, was also divorced and raised her daughter Milan from a past relationship. First, Rubinchik graduated from the Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting, and then she received the education of a psychologist, so the lovers found common topics for conversation without any problems. The author of the YouTube channel “Procrastinator” assured that she would help anyone create a strong union, and she also came up with a special course “Instructions for Managing a Woman”, which is popular.
It seems that the knowledge of psychology helped Mila herself: next to her, the TV presenter looked really happy. In 2018, as a sign of the seriousness of their intentions, the lovers got married, but on Facebook the blogger was listed as “civilian partners.”
Rubinchik went on tour with her husband, traveled regularly and engaged in outdoor activities with him. A couple of years ago, the couple visited Mexico, then went to Cuba, but on New Year’s Eve they flew to the Dominican Republic.
fatal trip
Unfortunately, this vacation turned out to be the last for the 46-year-old presenter. The TV journalist suddenly became ill, he was taken to a local clinic, but despite the efforts of doctors, Zelensky died on January 11. The preliminary cause of death was called a stroke, and later – cardiac arrest.
“It’s hard, of course, to talk about it now. We don’t yet understand what happened. Not enough information. Misha was always at the peak of his energy. He and a stroke, as they now write in agencies, are two incompatible concepts, ”said Ernest Mackevicius, a colleague of the presenter.
Disputes about the possible causes of death do not subside. So, journalists recalled that 10 years ago, Mikhail Vladimirovich participated in the project “Give Yourself Life”, where it turned out that the workaholic eats poorly, sleeps little, smokes a lot and drinks seven cups of coffee a day. Analyzes revealed not only a violation of the immune system and gastritis.
“A blood test showed an elevated level of hemoglobin in the blood. This suggests that the body is trying to compensate for the lack of oxygen that has arisen due to years of smoking. This level is dangerous with an increased risk of thrombosis, primarily in the veins of the lower extremities. These blood clots can break off and travel to, for example, the brain, causing a stroke. <…> But the biggest problem of our hero is the condition of the lungs, – said the therapist Tatyana Shapovalenko. – The lungs of the TV presenter are clogged with phlegm and look like its owner is not 36, but 70 years old. The overall result is deplorable. Mikhail has already “stole” more than 20 years from his genetically predetermined life span.”
Of course, the experts recommended Zelensky to take up himself and turn to a healthy lifestyle. But did he follow the advice? Photos with cigarettes continued to appear on the microblog … In addition, colleagues said that last year Mikhail Vladimirovich suffered from coronavirus, albeit in a relatively mild form.
“I continued to smoke two packs a day,” said Zelensky’s friend Nikolai Sergeev. – He loved to smoke, cigarettes were almost the main pleasure for him. But he looked good! Misha was a holiday man, he never denied himself anything. I didn’t notice him that he somehow closely monitored his health, for example, he didn’t bother with what you can eat, what you can’t. Lived under the motto: “Have fun.” And his age is very dangerous for a man. Because very often strokes and heart attacks occur.
Colleagues reflected not only on the causes of the tragedy, but also on the upcoming difficulties of transporting the body of the deceased to Moscow. It is not yet known when the funeral of the famous TV presenter will take place, however, they say that the Troekurovsky cemetery has been chosen as the place. The widow of the star remains silent and deleted all posts and photos on social networks in order to avoid unnecessary attention at such a sad time.
