Wladimir And Vitali Klitschko Talk About War In Ukraine: It's Easier To Die For Our Country

JAKARTA - Two heavyweight boxing brothers, Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko reached the pinnacle of their sport as world champions. However, since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, they have been forced to fight closer to home.

Vitali has been mayor of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, since 2014. His younger brother Wladimir joined the Kyiv Region Defense Brigade when Russia invaded.

"You know the simplest thing you can do? Die for your country. The most complicated? Live for your country," Wladimir told Piers Morgan quoted from Marca, Friday, July 29.

"It means fighting for life, protecting your people, protecting your country, protecting yourself.

"It's so complicated that at some point you actually get a feeling like 'you know I'm going to run to my death,' so to speak, just to end this misery."

Vitali spoke of meeting a child who didn't know he had just been orphaned, adding: "This war can touch everyone in Europe."

The war in Ukraine is entering its fifth month with no end in sight, and tens of thousands of casualties are reported.

"Our strength is Ukrainians that we don't want to die even though many have been killed and tortured and raped and are still putting their lives on the line," Wladimir said.

"But, living for your country is more complicated and challenging and that's definitely something we don't want to do because Ukrainians are running to our deaths.

"So we stay strong, we stay alive and we fight for our choice not to live on our knees."