As we hear stories from the front line in Ukraine, the absolute bravery of the people is astounding. Citizens are taking up arms to defend themselves against the occupying Russian forces. Their fearless President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has refused offers to evacuate and is on the ground defending his country’s independence with his entire cabinet.
Boxing great Vitali Klitschko, 50, is a former WBC world heavyweight champion and has been the mayor of Kyiv since 2014. His brother, Wladimir, 45, is also a former world heavyweight champion with countless titles. Wladimir is bit more known in the US as he was engaged to Hayden Panettiere and has a seven-year-old daughter with her, Kaya. (Kaya is safe and not in Ukraine now.) Both brothers hold PhDs. Vitali is on the ground defending his city and his brother Wladimir has announced that he has joined him and is encouraging much needed regime change in Russia. He also recorded a video, above, encouraging the world to help stop the war before it’s too late. Here’s part of what Wladimir wrote, and there’s more at the source.
The Ukrainian people are strong. And it will remain true to itself in this terrible ordeal. A people longing for sovereignty and peace. A people who consider the Russian people their brothers. It knows that they basically do not want this war. The Ukrainian people have chosen democracy. But: Democracy is a fragile regime. Democracy cannot defend itself; it needs the will of the citizens, the commitment of everyone. Basically, there is no democracy without democrats.
Here, we will defend ourselves with all our might and fight for freedom and democracy. You can also act. Let not fear seize us; let’s not remain frozen. Putin shoots at Ukrainian cities, but he aims at our hearts and, more importantly, at our minds. He wants to create doubt and confusion and thus inaction.
You can do something by mobilizing and organizing huge demonstrations. Make your voice heard. Make the voice of democracy heard. Say it loud and clear that international law and democracy are under attack, that war is the greatest evil and that life is sacred. Also say that while solidarity is good, support is better. Say that the march of imperialism must be stopped now. After all, whose turn will it be after Ukraine?
This war against my country is not only the result of one man’s madness, but also the result of years of weakness in Western democracies. This madness must be stopped now by stepping up deterrents. Our governments need to say things loud and clear. If Putin goes ahead with his plan for a change of regime in Kyiv, then democracies around the world must now start thinking about a change of regime in Moscow. Before it is too late.
Kyiv’s mayor Vitali did an interview with the AP on Sunday stating that Kyiv was surrounded and that civilians could not be evacuated. His spokesperson later tweeted that was not the case. It is hoped that planned talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky will lead to a ceasefire.
This is bravery, determination and democracy. These brothers, and all the people of Ukraine, have the world behind them and the world as witness. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the people of Ukraine. We pray for their success and sovereignty with the least amount of casualties possible.
Wladimir has recorded another video asking that Russians not shed their brothers’ blood.
Translation: "A request from Klitschko to Belarus to stay at home and spend time with family instead of attacking Ukraine, which has no opportunity to stay at home and spend time with family. This is an appeal not to shed your brothers' blood."
— Len Whalen (@LenWhalenX) February 27, 2022
"We have captured around 200 Russian soldiers, some around 19 years old. Not trained at all. Badly equipped." Ukraninan Major General Borys Kremenetsky says. "We allow them to call their parents. Parents completely surprised."
— Elizabeth Campbell (@ECampbell360) February 26, 2022
I have no idea what the situation in the rest of Kyiv is yet, but I can see from my window that this city is still standing, still resisting, unbent, unbroken and unbowed.
Whatever happens next, don’t ever let your children forget what happened here.
Kyiv fought back.
— Oz Katerji (@OzKaterji) February 26, 2022
Unsure of the future, Yaryna Arieva and Sviatoslav Fursin rushed their wedding and got married to the sounds of sirens blaring the Russian invasion.
Straight after their wedding, they both joined the local Territorial Defense Center to help efforts to defend the country.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 25, 2022
And Kyiv’s Mayor, Hall of Fame Boxer pic.twitter.com/TxOSy4Tr63
— MommaRants with the Gazpacho Police (@DemocratMama) February 26, 2022
I watched one of the videos of the captured Russian soldiers calling their parents. This poor kid said he was born in 2002, was 19 years old, and thought he was on a training exercise. His parents didn’t know where he was. The poor kid sounded terrified. I teared up watching. He could have been a kid in my high school class last year–he was likely a kid in a high school class last year. And now he’s cannon fodder in a madman’s war.
The empathy and compassion the Ukrainian military is showing to these boys by allowing them to call home is just beyond words. I was reading that one of the Ukrainian commanders said that most of the soldiers they had captured were teenagers, who had no training with poor equipment – many were conscripts, told if they didn’t go they faced jail or worse.
I saw a clip of older Ukrainians yelling at a Russian soldier to leave their country, and the kid sat down and cried. That image won’t leave my heart for a long time. It seems Putin is on the losing edge, but he is a madman. I fear for what comes next.
My sons are 19 and 17 – my heart was broken watching those boys who were sent in as cannon fodder by a madman.
It sickens me that these kids are being used as cannon fodder (though it’s hardly surprising. Russia has a long history of trying to throw bodies at a problem until it goes away, after all). Putin has spent years doing all this macho posturing and propaganda bullshit, but when the time came for war, what did he do? Cower. Order the arrest of anyone who dares to question his regime. Send scared boys to fight with almost no training and outdated equipment.
Letting their Russian captives call home might be Ukraine’s most ingenious bit of subtle propaganda. Their youth and vulnerability exposes Putin’s utter disregard for his soldiers.
Where can I find that footage? Thanks in advance…
If you follow Dancing with the Stars Maksim at @maksimc on instagram -he has posted one of the Russian kid soldiers, I think yesterday. He is posting updates regularly and also pics of Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian attacks.
Russia focuses on the top of its military (planes, tanks, boats), but has no regard for the soldiers they consider expendable.
From the feudal era to Pre-WWII, Russia had mandatory conscription for Jewish males, age 13. Boys in conquered lands too. After 30 years (!!!) they could retire.
My emotions are jumbled between the strong admiration for all the Ukrainians standing standing up for their country and terror at the potential for a world war if NATO has to intervene.
Yes, me too. Trying to stay positive and praying for a peaceful outcome. Bless those brave Ukrainians and their kindness to those Russian boys.
I have been torn on who to donate to and settled on World Central Kitchen when I saw a clip of them serving hot meals to refugees at the borders.
Thanks for mentioning World Central Kitchen, I’d also been trying to figure out donations
They are at multiple border points and. In Ukraine. Chef Andres and his organization are amazing.
Thank you for the World Central Kitchen idea. I’ll be donating to them as well.
Please do also not forget amnesty international. They are not just helping Ukrainians and Russian dissidents who are on Putin‘s sh#tlist evacuate, they are also hard at work freeing the peaceful protesters in Russia who have been arrested by Russian police. The amnesty volunteers are brave indeed.
We also need to protect citizen bloggers, whistleblowers and some hackers if possible. Hackers like Anonymous have started hacking Russian servers, all kinds, including government propaganda channels that are spreading false info.
My Russian friends are flooded with official news that Ukraine is ruled by violent Neo- Nazis and more nonsense about Nato and Ukraine being the ones who provoked any attacks.
amnesty international is a good start- it all starts and ends with human rights.
I think that’s exactly why nobody is intervening militarily. Putin is narcissistic enough to do it, IMO, and my guess is Ukraine would be the first target on the list. My issue is mainly…if Ukraine DOES fall, I don’t see how NATO doesn’t inevitably get drawn in somehow. Putin will continue pushing his luck and crowding the borders.
Putin has told himself that Ukraine isn’t a real nation for too long, he started believing his own lies. If you’ve ever spent any time in Ukraine or around Ukrainians you know they are their own people with a fierce sense of independence, history, and culture. No way they were just gonna roll over for Russian invaders.
“Kyiv fought back” will go down as one of the most powerful lines in history. The bravery and compassion to the soldiers they have captured is awe-inspiring. They don’t want revenge, they just want Russia to leave them alone and will literally fight to the death to get Russia out.
How ironic–with all that Putin has done to encourage discord and strife around the world, the world is unifying against him in Ukraine. He’s completely stuck, no matter what. Even if his soldiers “take” Ukraine, all that means is that he’s going to have to try to govern through a fearsome insurgency. The Russian army is ill equipped, and it will be difficult to maintain supply lines over that much territory (plus the Ukrainians will be hard at work cutting the lines in any way they can). Also, the war is playing out in real time on social media. If the Russian soldiers commit atrocities, the whole world will be watching. There will be no hiding civilian casualties, or Russian kids coming hime in body bags.
He should quit while he’s ahead–or hopefully the Russians will take him out themselves. He’s a Cold War cancer who has outlived his time.
Just know – they have. Ukrainian officials are documenting possible war crimes – shelling hospitals, kindergartens, residential neighborhoods.
Weren’t there blind items about this guy and Hayden Panettiere?
There was a lot of legitimate reporting on Hayden too. She battled PPD (and some alleged substance abuse) and started dating a bad news guy. Wladimir has primary custody of their daughter, and prior to all this, was raising her in Ukraine with the support of his mom. Happy to read the daughter is safe. I wish the same for everyone involved.
David got up and ran into the army of the Philstines. We are witnesses to true valor and courage along with acts of compassion by Ukrainian civilians and their military. History is breathtaking.
The Ukrainians are heroes around the world. Putin may win this battle (Belarus is now sending troops) but the world will never forget how ordinary men and women in Ukraine fought for their country and democracy. Revolutions are started this way. We can only hope that once the oligarchs surrounding Der Dictator start losing their billions, they blame Putin and take him out.
I read on the FAIL that Putin has sent a hit squad to take out 23 people, including the president and these two brothers. I hope that is not true. Putin deserves to be up on war crime charges at the UN and NATO. The loss of life, and for what?
For what? Putin’s stupid ego. I wish the world could just shoot him and Trump into space.
The Ukrainians that are living through this horror in Ukraine are absolutely awesome. And I mean that in the dictionary definition way where it’s inspiring slack jawed awe in my soul. The bravery, the unity, caring for one another through this unspeakable tragedy. Ukraine has been a democracy, sometimes better sometimes worse, for 30 years. There is no going back for them. How you give up freedom and go back to living under a madman’s thumb?
The scary thing is that as I write this, there are drone photos of a 16.7 miles long Russian convoy heading to Kyiev. This is just awful.
That’s awful. The Ukrainians are incredibly resilient and like, crazy fierce though. The number of Russian soldiers captured is crazy:
https://kyivindependent.com/national/first-round-of-ukraine-russia-negotiations-inconclusive-as-casualties-pile-up/
I know it’s a small hope, but I’m hoping that the increasing numbers of Russians dying and mounting financial pressure push the country to remove Putin from power and remove him swiftly.
The russian convoy rolling in to choke off Kyiv makes me sick to my stomach after seeing all the heroic footage of Ukrainians fighting. We’ve loaded them up with smart missile Javelins to take out tanks and Stingers that are smart missiles for airborn targets. But is it enough? The may have finished their EU application today, if accepted Article 42 means the rest of the EU comes rolling in. Hoping they become a member of EU and fast!
I can barely stand this shit anymore. I have to function day to day for my kids but this situation is driving me to the brink emotionally. Glory to Ukraine!
Slava Ukraini. They are at the kinetic end of a far-reaching hybrid war. If they fall, Poland and the Baltics will be invaded next. This isn’t the lead-up to WWIII; it is already here. We need maximum economic sanctions now — a complete banking and business blockade of Russia and Belarus. Much respect to the Klitschko brothers.
Slava Ukraini!!