Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko vow to keep fighting to stay alive for their country in moving interview
The Klitschko brothers faced great challenges during their years of dominating the heavyweight division, but nothing can compare to what they are going through right now.
Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko are currently in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, where Vitali is mayor and the city has been subject to a Russian invasion in recent months.
AFP
Vitali has been mayor of Kyiv since May 2014
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year and the Klitschko brothers, alongside fellow professional boxers Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko, made the decision to stay and fight.
Five months later, the Klitschkos sat down with Piers Morgan on Talk TV to discuss their experiences of the war so far in a heartbreaking but inspiring interview.
One of the most powerful moments came when the younger of the two Klitschko brothers, Wladimir, said, “You know the easiest thing you can do? Die for your country.
“The most complicated? Live for your country.
“It means fighting for life, protecting your people, protecting your country, protecting yourself.
“It’s so complicated that at some point you really feel like ‘you know I’m going to run to my death’, so to speak, just to end this misery.
Vitali Klitschko
During their boxing careers, both men were unified world heavyweight champions, but that matters little now with their country in jeopardy.
“But no. the strength is us Ukrainians that we don’t want to die even though many have already been killed, tortured and raped and are still putting their lives at risk.
“But living for your country is more complicated and difficult and it’s definitely something we don’t want to do because Ukrainians are executed to our death.
“So we stay strong, we stay alive and we fight for our choice not to live on our knees.”
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