Wladimir Klitschko Interview: Life Coming Back to Kyiv, There Must be Justice! Send More Help Now!
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Kyiv, Ukraine (April 12th, 2022)– In a new sunshine interview of hope with Morning Joe on MSNBC, former World Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, now a member of the Kyiv territorial defense forces, talked about the beauty of life itself, finally beginning to return again to his battle torn hometown Kyiv, Ukraine, where his brother, former World Heavyweight champion Vitaly Klitschko, is mayor.
According to Wladimir, the capital city and surrounding areas of Kyiv has become more stabilized in recent days than other regions of Ukraine. “Russian (Special) Forces were thrown off their plan to surround the capital. Basically, the past two or three nights were quiet, quieter than before. That was before. So, we didn’t hear any explosions (anymore). So, it (now everyday life) is like normal life, so that was not the case. Life is coming back in the capital (Kyiv), and you can see people are coming back to the city (coming home now).”
The terror of falling missiles days and night, and the constant threat of destruction, according to Wladimir, “is the total opposite of what you guys (people living else live) is like. I have (had) been living in the United States for many many years, so it is like (like in the West) totally different (everyday peacetime life elsewhere versus ours).”
As for where Ukraine was before the military conflict occurred, Wladimir explained “Ukraine was progressing. Since 2014, Ukraine was progressing on Western Democratic principles, and (as an evolving) true Democracy. So, we were very creative with everything, what we’ve done (to evolve as a free and Democratic people). But now, it (Ukraine and its Democracy) has been destroyed, and it is continuing to be destroyed. Our infrastructure is getting (being) destroyed. Life is being destroyed. This is genocide. The word is genocide to the Ukrainian population. When you see dead bodies and hear stories, people were getting killed with their hands behind their back, and executed with a head shot. They (these people) were tortured before (being killed), and raped before (being killed). You’ve seen cases (in the worldwide media) where children were observing, watching their parents being shot and killed, or parents seeing their children executed.”
Wladimir on the inhumanness. “This (conflict) is just so inhuman. This is just so senseless. The war will eventually come to an end, and every crime, and this is war crimes. Behind every crime there are names, and there must be justice. In (the) International Court (of the Hague) there must be justice. In this digital world, in this modern world you cannot hind facts anymore, and there is plenty of evidence. There is not just satellite cities as Bucha (and other cities named), just look what is happening in the (Ukrainian) South, the (our) cities are completely destroyed, and civilians are getting killed. Or-just two days ago-Russian (Special) Forces knew exactly-people-refugees who were fleeing for (to) the West-at the train station-there were thousands gathering-waiting for training, boarding the trains-and the rockets (which were) fired landed right in the middle of it (the train station), taking the lives of more than 50 people, women and children. And one more time, how can you call this war special operations? Because it is genocide on the Ukrainian population, and that (it) must be (immediately) stopped.”
According to Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko in a statement this week to the Associated Press, over 10 thousand civilians have been killed in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, a number that could eventually double, as Russian forces close in on the key city ahead of a larger offensive in eastern Ukraine. If Mayor Boychenko’s dire predictions prove accurate and Mariupol’s death toll reaches 20 thousand, it would amount to almost five percent of the coastal city’s pre-conflict population of over 400 thousand.
Which is why Wladimir then asked for help from the allies anew by finishing “We definitely need help from our allies, our partners in the free world. We need to receive it now! I understand the humanitarian side is important. And we need humanitarian help. We need weapons now to defend ourselves. Because of those (the) rockets coming (falling) from above, if you cannot (the outside countries) close the sky, we will close the sky (of Ukraine) on our own. We don’t need any other army on our soil. We are going to take care of it (our country) ourselves. We will it (so), and our will is so strong, stronger than any weapon. We definitely need (outside) support, and thank you, you’re (the outside world) is delivering some, but we need it sooner than later.”