By Elliott West
‘We’re not interested in how strong the Russian army is, we’re ready to fight. And we’re ready to die for our home country and for our families, because it’s our home. It’s our future and somebody wants to come to our home and steal our future from us.’
Vitali Klitschko
Introduction
As Vladimir Putin sent a large section of his armed forces to invade Ukraine under the guise of a special mission to rid the country of Nazi infiltrators and bring it into Russian control. Two former Ukrainian boxers felt the need to answer the call to defend their country. They are of course the brothers, Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko. Both heavyweight champions, Vitali is now the mayor of Kyiv and their courageous decision was solidified when a captured Russian commander expressed his doubts about the war and two of his favourite boxers, Oleksandr Usyk and Vasilly Lomachenko, agreed to fight for the Ukrainian resistance forces.
Patriotic and Proud
The war in Ukraine has sent shockwaves across the world and few would have imagined that such barbarism and atrocities could occur in the 21st century. As the shells, bombs and gunfire rain down on this proud country, its inhabitants have had to flee their now bombed and unsafe homes and flee to neighbouring countries such as Poland and even Russia. However, some have decided to resist the iron fist of this Russian dictator and fight for the very land that they call home.
Using everything at their disposal, disused buses as barricades, mines and lining the streets with Molotov cocktails, both the official army and the conscripts have managed to resist the Russian forces in large parts of the country, preventing the takeover of its capital Kyiv and inflicting a huge dent on Russian armoury and gradually reducing this dominant force and causing it to resort to desperate measures and guerrilla tactics.
Love and War
The Klitschko brothers clearly love their country and are determined to fight for sovereignty and peace. The Ukrainian people clearly don’t want war and are prepared to fight for their own democracy. A puppet Russian regime would do nothing to improve this country and Putin must have been delusional to think that could seize Ukraine in several days. This a war that will end in tears for one side and defeat is heavily heaped on the steps of the Kremlin. Brutality may win the war of words in the short term but in the end, good will always defeat evil.
Russia has plenty of form in invasion and ended up retreating from Afghanistan when the battle couldn’t be won and the stakes became too high. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy may be a former comedian but he has become a global hero in this conflict. This invasion is very much like a deck of cards with Putin plucking out another country to invade on the back of this one. This is not a war, it is genocide and one that not only targets the political infrastructure of the country but anyone that gets in Russia’s path, mainly innocent civilians and even taking the lives of several international journalists.
This is an invasion that has energised the Ukrainian people, promoting many to become their voice pieces. Despite death, destruction and having to hide in makeshift bunkers without food, water, heating and electricity for many days, the people remain undeterred and resilient. Those that inflict those barbaric war crimes, will be brought to justice and tried in a court for their illegal actions. The Klitschko brothers may no longer be in the boxing ring but they will fight on until peace returns to this country and its nation can return and rebuild this treasured and proud nation. It is a war that not even the majority of the Russian people agree with but are imprisoned when they protest against it and controlled by a Russian state media that broadcasts a stilted coverage of the events that few believe. A people that live in fear of reprisal and incrimination.
