Ukrainian boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko is desperately urging other countries to send more guns to Ukraine in the face of the brutal Russian invasion – imploring: “We cannot defend our country with fists.”
“First and foremost, we need guns,” the former world heavyweight champion said in an interview with ABC news Sunday together with his brother Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
“We cannot defend our country with fists.”
Wladimir Klitschko recently joined the Ukrainian army to defend his homeland against Russia.
The former boxer also urged the rest of the world to secede from Russia.
“Every cent and every trade that you do with Russia and every cent that Russia gets they use on guns to kill us Ukrainians,” said Klitschko, who retired in 2017 and has a daughter with American actress Hayden has panettiere.
Ukraine has been under relentless attack from the neighboring country since late February. Russian forces have killed more than 1,800 Ukrainian civilians since they invaded, according to the latest United Nations census on Monday.
Wladimir Klitschko (left) is the brother of Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko.Sergiy Karazy/REUTERS
However, it is feared that the real death toll is much higher. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that “tens of thousands” of lives were lost in the besieged city of Mariupol alone.
“Mariupol was destroyed, there are tens of thousands of dead, but the Russians are still not stopping their offensive,” Zelenskyy said on Monday before the South Korean parliament, asking for more support.
Klitschko’s plea for more guns echoes the advice of several policy analysts and lawmakers who spoke to The Post on Friday.
“First and foremost, we need weapons,” said Wladimir Klitschko. Andrew Marienko/AP
Russian troops have killed more than 1,800 Ukrainian civilians since they invaded Efrem Lukatsky/AP
Several political analysts and lawmakers believe more guns could tip the war in Ukraine’s favour. Oleg Petrasyuk/EPO
The experts said the US must send Ukraine any weapons it requested as the invasion reaches a crucial moment when additional weapons could sway the war in Ukraine’s favour.
Retired General Wesley Clark wrote in an op-ed published in The Post on Friday that there was little time to waste in making hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, tanks, MiGs and Sukhoi aircraft available to the Ukrainian armed forces.
NATO pledged on Thursday to send more weapons in support of Ukraine amid reports of growing Russian brutality against Ukrainian civilians.
Wladimir Klitschko also called on the rest of the world to secede from Russia Dragan Tatic/Austrian Chancellery/EPA
Klitschko warned other countries that if Russia prevails, the world will face grave dangers.
“Ukraine is just the beginning,” he said.
“They will keep rolling, and if we don’t stop them in Ukraine, they will keep going. If we fail, the rest of the world, the free world, will fail.”