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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged to surrender as fears of assassination grow

The 44-year-old president announced he was "staying" with his people despite being at the top of Putin's kill list

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is being urged to surrender after he declared that he will remain in Kyiv despite being "target number one" for Russian assassins who have stormed the capital.

The 44-year-old president announced he was "staying" with his people despite being at the top of Putin's kill list. Some of his supporters are worried for his safety and want him to surrender as he's hunted by Russian special forces who have a list of Ukrainian officials to capture or kill. Zelenskyy's wife and two children are also in hiding but remain in the country despite fears that Kremlin wants to wipe out or imprison Ukraine's entire political class. The family was last seen together on Valentine's Day.

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Concerns that Zelenskyy may be assassinated and replaced by a Putin puppet emerged after the former won a stunning landslide victory in Ukraine's presidential election despite having no political background but a promising career as a comedian and actor. Zelenskyy's only previous political role was in the local TV show 'Servant of the People', in which he played a history teacher who is unintentionally elected as the President of Ukraine after a video of his character going on an anti-corruption rant goes viral.

Zelenskyy was recently photographed having various phone calls with European leaders and speaking to the nation. He urged his fellow citizens to remain strong as the Russians strengthened their position within the country. While Zelenskyy has not been pictured outside for several days, he was still tweeting in the early hours of Friday, February 25, describing his talks with Sweden and Italy about a potential alliance and weapons supplies.

The embattled leader revealed in his TV address that he was currently in a secret bunker instead of Kyiv's presidential palace. He said his wife Olena Zelenska, 44, an accomplished architect and screenwriter, and their two children -- daughter Aleksandra, 17, and son Kiril, 9 -- are still in the country at another secret location.

"I know that a lot of misinformation and rumors are being spread now," Zelenskyy told the nation in an olive-green military-style t-shirt. "In particular, it is claimed that I have left Kyiv. I remain in the capital, I am staying with my people. My family is not a traitor, but a citizen of Ukraine," he said. He explained that he couldn't reveal his location. "According to our information, the enemy marked me as the number one target. My family is the number two goal.  They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the Head of State," he added. The solemn address came as Ukrainian MPs were handed guns and bulletproof vests after some chose to stay in Kyiv and fight to defend the parliament building from Russian forces.

Zelenskyy shocked the world in 2019 when he ran on an anti-corruption campaign -- just like his TV character -- and defeated pro-Russia incumbent Petro Poroshenko with a staggering 73 percent of votes. Poroshenko lost in a huge upset across all regions of the country, including in the west where he had enjoyed strong support in the previous election. The victory came after Zelenskyy's campaign -- that started as a joke -- resonated with voters who were frustrated with corruption, poverty, and a five-year war with Russia.