The former heavyweigth champion joined  thousands of Ukrainians who volunteered  to register  with territorial defense units across the country amid reports of imminent Russian aggression.

Wladimir (Volodymyr in Ukrainian) announced his decision while accompanying his elder brother and Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko on a visit to a new reserve recruitment center in Ukraine’s capital.

‘We have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. We hope it does not happen,’ Klitschko told journalists Wednesday.

‘But if aggressors come to our country we don’t have any choice, we have to defend our city, our country, our future.’

Vitaly Klitschko who earlier called Germany’s offer to send Ukraine 5,000 helmets  a ‘joke’, broke the news of his brother intention on Instagram.

Territorial Defense Forces are a newly established part of Ukraine’s armed forces made up of ordinary Ukrainians given basic military trainig to give backing to regular army units in case of foreign agression.