Former heavyweight boxing champions Vy and Wladimir Klitschko have become heroes of Ukraine after vowing to join their country’s army and fight the Russian invasion.
The 50-year-old Vito is now mayor of Kiev and when asked if he would fight the invaders, he said: “I have no choice. I have to do this. I’m going to fight. I believe in Ukraine. I believe in my country and I believe in my people.
His younger brother Vladimir, 45, joined Ukraine’s reserve army earlier this month and said his love for his country had forced him to defend it.
He added: “One neighborhood from here, my little girl goes to school. This is the love, the love for my city, my home, my family, my neighbors, my daughter who brought me here, I took this initiative and now I am involved in this territorial defense.
‘I can’t stay in one place and I won’t. That’s why I enlisted in the territorial defense of the country and the city.”
The brothers, who are both multimillionaires, won applause for their determination with observers praising their bravery.
They are the sons of a former Soviet Air Force colonel, also known as Vladimir, who played a key role in the clean-up operation after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.
Their father died of cancer in 2011 caused by his exposure to radiation after Chernobyl.
Former heavyweight boxing champions Vy and Wladimir Klitschko were praised after vowing to join Ukraine’s army and fight the Russian invasion
Vito Klitschko (left), mayor of Kiev, now 50, and his brother Wladimir Klitschko (right), 45, plan to take up arms for their country. Both have won a series of world heavyweight fights
The brothers are popular figures both at home and abroad after hugely successful boxing careers, with which they won numerous world heavyweight boxing championships. Vito, who stands at 6ft 7in, is the only boxer to hold a world heavyweight championship in three different decades and is known to have never been knocked out in his career, earning the nickname Dr Iron Fist
Their sporting mastery gave the brothers a high profile, and Vladimir’s was intensified when he began a relationship with American actress Hayden Panettiere. The couple dated from 2009 to 2011 before meeting again between 2013 and 2018.
Asked if he would join civilians and soldiers fighting the Russians, Vito (pictured) said: “I have no choice. I have to do this’
The brothers, who are both multimillionaires, won applause for their determination with observers praising their bravery. They are the sons of a former Soviet Air Force colonel, also known as Vladimir, who played a key role in the clean-up operation after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.
The brothers are popular figures both at home and abroad after hugely successful boxing careers, with which they won numerous world heavyweight boxing championships.
Vito, who stands at 6ft 7in, is the only boxer to hold a world heavyweight championship in three different decades and is known to have never been knocked out in his career, earning the nickname Dr Ironfit.
Vladimir, a 6ft 6in, spent almost a decade as world champion before famously losing to Tyson Fury in 2015. His nickname was Dr Steelhammer.
The brothers have never fought each other, although they shared the different heavyweight belts during the so-called Klitschko era. They said they promised their mother they’d never box.
Their sporting mastery gave the brothers a high profile, and Vladimir’s was intensified when he began a relationship with American actress Hayden Panettiere.
Both brothers have phDs in sports science, with Vito becoming the first professional boxing world champion with a PhD
Vito (back row R) and Wladimir Klitschko (back row L) pose with their parents Nadia (CL) and Wladimir Klitschko Sr (R)
The couple dated from 2009 to 2011 before meeting again between 2013 and 2018.
At one point they were engaged, with the actress being a regular ringer at Vladimir’s matches. Although they later separated, they had a daughter together and remained friends.
Vitaly is married to model and former tennis pro Natalia Egorova, who represented the Soviet Union and Russia. The couple have three children together.
Both brothers have phDs in sports sciences, with Vito becoming the first professional boxing world champion with a PhD.
After boxing, the older Klitschko entered politics, ranking second in the race for mayor of Kiev in 2006.
He was a leading figure in the Euromaidan protests in 2013-2014, which eventually led to the Ukrainian revolution in 2014.
Vladimir retired in 2017 after losing a memorable fight with British man Anthony Joshua. Since then, he has worked in various enterprises, including a continuing stay as an associate professor at the Swiss University of St. Gallen, where he taught master’s students. After boxing, the older Klitschko entered politics, ranking second in the race for mayor of Kiev in 2006.
Now the brothers have been praised after promising to fight Russia in the streets to protect their nation. Vito told ITV News that kiev residents have weapons and have become “soldiers ready to defend our city”
After boxing, the older Klitschko entered politics, taking second place in the race for mayor of Kiev in 2006.
He was elected mayor of Kiev in May 2014 and was re-elected mayor in November 2015.
Vladimir retired in 2017 after losing a memorable fight with British man Anthony Joshua.
Since then, he has worked in various enterprises, including a continuing stay as an associate professor at the Swiss University of St. Gallen, where he taught master’s students.
Now the brothers have been praised after promising to fight Russia in the streets to protect their nation.
Told ITV News that Kievans have weapons and have become “soldiers ready to defend our city”.
He said, “I believe in my country and I believe in my people.”
Asked if he would join civilians and soldiers fighting the Russians, he said: “I have no choice.
– I have to do it.
And Vladimir tweeted: “Putin makes it clear that he wants to destroy the Ukrainian state and the sovereignty of its people. After the words follow missiles and tanks. Destruction and death come upon us. That’s all, the blood will be mixed with tears.
“The Ukrainian people are strong. And it will remain true to itself in this terrible trial. A people who crave sovereignty and peace. A people who consider the Russian people to be their brothers. It knows that they generally don’t want this war.
“You can do something by mobilizing and organizing huge demonstrations. Make your voice heard. Let the voice of democracy be heard. Make it clear and loud that international law and democracy are under attack, that war is the greatest evil, and that life is sacred.
“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 now be stopped by stepping up deterrence. Our governments need to say things loud and clear.
Arnold Schwarzenegger tweeted: “Vito and Vladimir @Klitschko, I think of you, my friends. You were my heroes in the ring, and now you’re my heroes.
One person tweeted: “Vito Klitschko is a millionaire many times. He can live in a mansion in any city in the world. Instead, he stayed in Ukraine and armed himself fighting a superpower. History will remember that courage.
Another said: “Vito is the mayor of Kiev who suffers from Russian missile shelling. The father of the Klitschko brothers was the first savior in Chernobyl. Their family has already sacrificed themselves for Ukraine and is obviously ready to do it again.”
While a third added: ‘Not all characters wear capes. Vito Klitschko is a millionaire, but he left everything to fight for his country, Ukraine.
The brothers may be among a list of Ukrainian officials targeting a “hunters” squad of Chechen special forces.
It is reported that each of the “hunters” of the Chechen special forces has received “calf cards” specifying which Ukrainian officials to target
Chechen soldiers from the Southern Battalion of the Federal Security Service are reportedly in a Ukrainian forest with orders to detain or kill Ukrainian officials
In Ukraine, it was spread for the arrest or murder of certain officials with President Vladimir Zelensky44, believed to be at the top of the list.
Each soldier reportedly received special “tele cards” with photos and descriptions of Ukrainian officials, a Moscow telegram channel with links to the security institutions reported.
The list is of officials and security officials suspected of “crimes” by the Russian Investigative Committee, the report added.
It came as Ukraine’s president admitted to being the “number one target” for Russian assassins in his capital, while his family was “target number two” for Putin’s killers.
The Chechen squad is believed to be based in a Ukrainian forest and is said to have obtained a “murder warrant” if those wanted could not be detained.