Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@klitschko/Fox News
Topics: Politics, Russia, Ukraine, World News, Tucker Carlson
Emily Brown
Topics: Politics, Russia, Ukraine, World News, Tucker Carlson
Former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko has described the ongoing war in Ukraine as 'pure genocide' and lashed out at Americans such as Tucker Carlson for opposing to offer military aid.
Klitschko, whose brother is Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, criticised those failing to actively support the people of Ukraine during an appearance on the Newsmax show Eric Bolling The Balance after more than a month of fighting in the country.
Bolling expressed confusion over why some conservatives were 'not supporting [Klitschko] and Ukraine', including the likes of Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens.
"What do you say to those people?," he asked the former fighter, to which Klitschko responded to express belief that anyone failing to stand with Ukraine was therefore standing against them.
"If you passively observe what is going on, and we do share the same principles of freedom and democratic principles, like the United States, like the Western world, so to speak, if you are passively observing, you are part of this invasion, blood is on your hands, too," he said.
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The former two-time world heavyweight champion went on to slam the war as 'senseless', saying it has 'been taking thousands of lives of the civilians' and describing it as a 'genocide of the Ukrainian population'.
He continued: "According to Russian propaganda and statements, Ukraine was just the mistake of the history. So ... this is a pure genocide, what is happening in Ukraine...
"The message is clear. This is a war crime what Russian army, what the Russian government, and the Russian President Putin is doing in Ukraine. This is mass murder."
Klitschko attributed the war partially to 'imperialism' and what he described as Vladimir Putin's 'mad dream' of building an empire, but argued it is 'something that should not happen in 2022'. He said Russian military forces 'need to leave the country now' and urged for 'all the destruction, all of the killings' to be recorded and considered as war crimes.
"Whatever Russia tries to justify this 'special operation,' so to speak, is complete B.S. and a lie," Klitschko added.
The former boxer's comments come as his brother Vitali praised the efforts of Ukrainian soldiers in resisting Russians, saying the country's troops had 'destroyed the myth of the invincible Russian army'.
In an address to the city council of Florence cited by ABC News, the Kyiv mayor added: "We are resisting against the aggression of one of the strongest armies in the world and have succeeded in making them change their goals."
Russians have proved unsuccessful in capturing the capital city after more than four weeks of fighting.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information.