‘But if aggressors come to our country we don’t have any choice, we have to defend our city, our country, our future.’
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.
‘There are two ways — you can run or you can face the challenge,’ Volodymyr said. “So my choice was to face the challenge.’
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.