Ex-professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko (45) is known around the world and could live anywhere, but he has officially joined a volunteer military unit in his home country of Ukraine as a reservist.
► MEANS: If Vladimir Putin’s (69) troops attack, Klitschko will be drafted – then he may have to fight Russian soldiers at the front!
In an interview with BILD on TV, he explains what made him make this decision.
“My motivation has been love. For my city, for my country, Ukraine. For my family. And this love can’t be stopped,” ex-boxing world champion Klitschko describes his decision.
Klitschko: “It can’t go on like this!”
While he hopes that a Russian attack can be averted, he also believes that he is not alone in feeling connected to his country. “The fact that Russian soldiers are on Ukrainian soil is no longer a surprise – this has been happening in eastern Ukraine in Lugansk and Donetsk and the annexation of Crimea since 2014.”
► He says clearly: “It can’t go on like this!”
It’s ultimately about defence, not just the right to “have a free democratic country,” said Klitschko. And: for him it’s not just about his country, but all of Europe. “I believe that if there is a war in Ukraine, it will not only remain in Ukraine or on the territory of Ukraine. I think this will definitely affect Europe as well.”
The situation in Kiev is currently very tense, Klitschko told BILD. You would also notice that in everyday life, including at the international school that his daughter attends: “The school staff are family members from different embassies, now the embassies have been evacuated, suddenly and quickly – all of a sudden the school was to.”
Several Western embassies in Kiev had evacuated some of their embassy staff and their families in the past few days. The danger, it was said, was too great that in the event of a Russian attack it would no longer be possible to leave the country.
Klitschko continues: “There is no question that it probably won’t be the case (editor’s note that Russia is attacking), but we learned that back in 2014. Nobody believed that Russia would attack Ukraine. Unfortunately it happened. And we don’t want anything more to happen.”
► Klitschko finds sober words about the situation in the country and support from the West. “We should be prepared for all cases and I also understand that the support comes from the West and also from Germany. But there is never enough support,” said the ex-professional boxer.
And further: “I know that Germany has supported Ukraine after the crisis and I want to thank you for that, but it is never enough in these difficult times.”
Does the ex-boxer go to the front?
Klitschko has volunteered as a reservist for the territorial defense of the capital Kiev. It is not clear whether the ex-boxer would really have to go to the front in this case – but it is on his mind.
► “Everyone asks the question and of course there are different opinions. One of them is that you can run away from it. Others face this challenge and that’s exactly why I decided to do it. Because in the end it’s the love for my country and my city, my family and my neighbors that keeps me here,” Klitschko said of his decision to stay in Kiev.
“Why should we run away? We have learned in the past that we should fight for our rights. And you can’t stop that if you’re obsessed with the idea of living this free life and not being oppressed,” Klitschko continued.
When asked what Ukraine needs right now – including from Germany, Klitschko makes it clear that Ukraine needs defense support and criticizes the reluctance: “There is never enough support, even if you’re talking about weapons, then one speaks about the defensive weapons and in no case about an attack. We are a friendly nation that has never attacked anyone.”
Ukraine decided in 2014 to move towards Europe, meaning: “Towards western qualities, western democracy, free elections. (…) You also have to fight for it and we are also ready to fight for it, and we have done that as a nation in the past few years and we stand together.”