Former heavyweight boxing champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko have been lauded after they vowed to join the Ukraine army and fight against the Russian invasion.
Vitali, 50, is the now the mayor of Kyiv and when asked if he would fight against the invaders, said: ‘I don’t have another choice. I have to do that. I will be fighting. I believe in Ukraine. I believe in my country and I believe in my people.’
His younger brother Wladimir, 45, enlisted in the Ukraine reserve army earlier this month and said that his love for his country compelled him to defend it.
He added: ‘One district from here, my little girl is going to school. It is the love, the love for my city, my home, my family, my neighbours, my daughter that has brought me here, that I took this initiative and am now taking part in this territorial defence.
‘I can’t stand still and I won’t. That’s why I signed up for the territorial defence of the country and the city.’
The brothers, who are both multimillionaires, have won plaudits for their resolve with observers praising their bravery.
They are the sons of a former Soviet Air Force colonel, also called Wladimir, who played a key role in the clean-up operation after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.
Their father died of cancer in 2011 that was caused by his exposure to radiation in the aftermath of Chernobyl.
Former heavyweight boxing champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko have been lauded after they vowed to join the Ukraine army and fight against the Russian invasion
Vitali Klitschko (left), mayor of Kyiv, now 50, and his brother Wladimir Klitschko (right), 45, are planning to take up arms for their country. Both have won a string of world heavyweight fights
When asked if he would join civilians and soldiers fighting the Russians, Vitali (pictured) said: ‘I don’t have another choice. I have to do that’
The brothers, who are both multimillionaires, have won plaudits for their resolve with observers praising their bravery. They are the sons of a former Soviet Air Force colonel, also called Wladimir, who played a key role in the clean-up operation after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986
The brothers are popular figures both in their country and abroad after wildly successful boxing careers that saw them win multiple world heavyweight boxing championships. Vitali, standing at 6ft 7, is the only boxer to hold a heavyweight world championship in three different decades and was famously never knocked down in his career, earning the nickname Dr Ironfist
The brothers are popular figures both in their country and abroad after wildly successful boxing careers that saw them win multiple world heavyweight boxing championships.
Vitali, standing at 6ft 7, is the only boxer to hold a heavyweight world championship in three different decades and was famously never knocked down in his career, earning the nickname Dr Ironfist.
Wladimir, 6ft 6, spent almost a decade as a world champion before famously losing to Tyson Fury in 2015. However, he is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time and reigned as champion for a record 4,382 days. His nickname was Dr Steelhammer.
The brothers famously never fought each other, despite sharing the various heavyweight belts during the so-called Klitschko era. They said they had promised their mother they would never box each other.
Their sporting prowess gave the brothers high profiles and Wladimir’s was enhanced when he began a relationship with American actress Hayden Panettiere.
Their sporting prowess gave the brothers high profiles and Wladimir’s was enhanced when he began a relationship with American actress Hayden Panettiere. The couple dated from 2009 to 2011 before dating again between 2013 and 2018.
Both brothers have doctorates in Sport Science, with Vitali becoming the first professional boxing world champion to hold a PhD
Vitali (back row R) and Wladimir Klitschko (back row L) pose with their parents Nadja (C-L) and Wladimir Klitschko senior (R)
The couple dated from 2009 to 2011 before dating again between 2013 and 2018.
At one point, they were engaged, with the actress a regular fixture ringside at Wladimir’s matches. Though they later split up, they have a daughter together and remain friends.
Vitali 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 doctorates in Sport Science, with Vitali becoming the first professional boxing world champion to hold a PhD.
After boxing, the elder Klitschko entered politics placing second in the Kyiv mayoral race in 2006.
He was a leading figure in the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests which eventually led to the Ukrainian revolution in 2014.
Wladimir retired in 2017, after losing a memorable bout with Brit Anthony Joshua. Since then, he has worked in various enterprises, including an ongoing stint as an adjunct professor at Switzerland’s University of St. Gallen, where he teaches master’s students. After boxing, the elder Klitschko entered politics placing second in the Kyiv mayoral race in 2006. He was a leading figure in the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests which eventually led to the Ukrainian revolution in 2014
Now, the brothers have been praised after pledging to battle Russia in the streets to protect their nation. Vitali told ITV News that the people of Kyiv have weapons and have become ‘soldiers ready to defend our city’
After boxing, the elder Klitschko entered politics placing second in the Kyiv mayoral race in 2006. He was elected Mayor of Kyiv in May 2014 and was reelected as mayor in November 2015.
He was elected Mayor of Kyiv in May 2014 and was reelected as mayor in November 2015.
Wladimir retired in 2017, after losing a memorable bout with Brit Anthony Joshua.
Since then, he has worked in various enterprises, including an ongoing stint as an adjunct professor at Switzerland’s University of St. Gallen, where he teaches master’s students.
Now, the brothers have been praised after pledging to battle Russia in the streets to protect their nation.
Vitali told ITV News that the people of Kyiv have weapons and have become ‘soldiers ready to defend our city’.
He said: ‘I believe in my country and I believe in my people.’
When asked if he would join civilians and soldiers fighting the Russians, he said: ‘I don’t have another choice.
‘I have to do that.’
And Wladimir tweeted: ‘Putin makes it clear that he wants to destroy the Ukrainian state and the sovereignty of its people. Words are followed by missiles and tanks. Destruction and death come upon us. That’s it, blood will mix with tears.
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.’
Arnold Schwarzenegger tweeted: ‘Vitali and Wladimir @Klitschko, I am thinking of you, my friends. You were my heroes in the ring and you’re my heroes now.’
One person tweeted: ‘Vitali Klitschko is a millionaire many times over. He could be living in a mansion in any city across the world. Instead he’s stayed in Ukraine and armed himself, fighting against a superpower. History will remember this courage.’
Another said: ‘Vitali is Mayor of Kyiv, which is suffering from Russian missile fire. The Klitschko Brothers’ father was a first responder at Chernobyl. Their family has already sacrificed for Ukraine, and clearly, is willing to do so again.’
While a third added: ‘ Not all heroes wear capes. Vitali Klitschko is a millionaire but left everything to fight for his country, Ukraine.’
The brothers could be among a list of Ukrainian officials targeted by a squad of Chechen special forces ‘hunters’.
Each one of the Chechen special forces ‘hunters’ was reportedly given a ‘deck of cards’ that specified which Ukrainian officials to target
Chechen soldiers of the south battalion of the Federal Guard Service are reportedly in a Ukrainian forest with orders to detain or kill Ukrainian officials
The has been unleashed in Ukraine to detain or kill a set of specific officials, with president Volodymyr Zelensky, 44, believed to be top of the list.
Each soldier was reportedly given a special ‘deck of cards’ with Ukrainian officials’ photos and descriptions on them, a Moscow Telegram channel with links to the security establishment reported.
The list is of officials and security officers suspected of ‘crimes’ by the Russian Investigative Committee, the report added.
It came as Ukraine’s president admitted he is ‘target number one’ for Russian assassins in his capital, while his family is ‘the number two goal’ for Putin’s hitmen.
The Chechen squad is thought to be in a Ukrainian forest and was allegedly given an ‘order to kill’ if those on the wanted list could not be detained.
