“I regret to tell you that thousands of Russian soldiers that have been killed,” Schwarzenegger said in the video that has since amassed more than 8.8 million views. “They have been caught between Ukrainians fighting for their homeland and the Russian leadership fighting for conquest.”
He started the video with an anecdote about meeting one of his personal heroes at age 14, legendary Russian weightlifter Yury Petrovich Vlasov, whom he watched win the World Weightlifting Championship in 1961. Afterward, his friend helped him get backstage to meet his idol.
“All of the sudden, there I was, a 14-year-old boy standing in front of the strongest man in the world. I couldn’t believe it. He reached out to shake my hand. I still had a boy’s hand. He had this powerful man’s hand that swallowed mine. But he was kind, and he smiled at me. I will never forget that day.”
Schwarzenegger recounted going home and putting Vlasov’s photo above his bed “to inspire me when I started lifting weights,” but his father told him to take it down and “find a German or Austrian hero.”
“He got really angry, and we argued back and forth. He didn’t like Russians because of his experience in the Second World War,” he explained. “You see, he was injured at Leningrad, where the Nazi army that he was part of did vicious harm to the great city and its great people.
“But I did not take the photograph down, no. Because it didn’t matter to me what flag Yury Vlasov carried,” Schwarzenegger added.
The Golden Globe winner noted that his love for Russia has only grown since then, frequently traveling to the country for bodybuilding, movie roles and to meet his Russian fans.
He even reconnected with Vlasov while filming his 1988 movieRed Heatin Moscow, the first American movie allowed to film in Red Square. Schwarzenegger got to spend the day with his hero, who gave him a blue coffee cup that he still uses daily. (Vlasov died last February of natural causes. He was 85.)
“The reason why I’m telling you all of those things is, ever since I was 14 years old, I’ve had nothing but affection and respect for the people of Russia. The strength and the heart of the Russian people have always inspired me. That is why I hope that you will let me tell you the truth about the war in Ukraine and what is happening there.”
DAPHNE ROUSSEAU/AFP via Getty
Schwarzenegger empathized that “no one likes to hear something critical of their government,” noting that he speaks “with the same heartfelt concern” as when hedenounced the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riotslast year.
TheTerminatorstar noted that 141 nations at the U.N. agreed that Russia was the aggressor, calling for the country to remove their troops.
He again used his father’s experience as an example, explaining that he “was all pumped up on the lies of his government” when he arrived to fight in Leningrad, after which, “he was broken, physically and mentally. He lived the rest of his life in pain.”
Attn
Schwarzenegger then appealed directly to Russian PresidentVladimir Putin, “You started this war, you’re leading this war, you can stop this war.” He also paid his respects to the Russian people who have been protesting the war.
“Youhave been arrested. You have been jailed and you have been beaten,” Schwarzenegger said. “You are my new heroes. You have the strength of Yury Petrovich Vlasov. You have the true heart of Russia. My dear Russian friends, may God bless you all.”
Russia’sattack on Ukrainecontinues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
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With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and that he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy has vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
