He swapped his boxing gloves for weapons to defend his city. The mayor of kyiv Vitali Klitschko says he is ready to do anything to defend kyiv against the Russian soldiers who threaten to surround the capi...

European of the week

Vitali Klitschko, the former boxer who became mayor of kyiv

Audio 03:28

Mayor of kyiv Vitali Klitschko, in a video posted on Instagram.

By: Daniel Vallot Follow

5 mins

He swapped his boxing gloves for weapons to defend his city.

The mayor of kyiv Vitali Klitschko says he is ready to do anything to defend kyiv against the Russian soldiers who threaten to surround the Ukrainian capital.

Former world boxing champion, heavyweight category, he embodies with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the resistance of an entire country against Russia.

Portrait of an extraordinary champion who entered politics by vocation, and war by necessity.

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Staring at the phone he is holding Vitali Klitschko is addressing the people of kyiv.

It is March 15, the Russian army is threatening to encircle the city and the mayor of the Ukrainian capital is appealing to all men of fighting age.

“

The capital is the heart of Ukraine, it will be defended.
Kyiv is the outpost and symbol of Europe's security and freedom.
We won't give it up and we won't let them bring us to our knees.

Since the beginning of the conflict, the mayor of kyiv has multiplied messages on social networks to encourage Ukrainians to resist.

And shows himself present on all fronts, bulletproof vest on his back, automatic weapon at hand: at

checkpoints

, on barricades, in air raid shelters… Astonishing destiny that of this former boxing champion became mayor of a besieged capital.

► To read also: War in Ukraine: in kyiv, the quest to survive and the desire to help the fighters

"A chin of steel"

Because, before entering politics, Vitali Klitschko was one of the most gifted boxers of his generation, several times world champion in the heavyweight category, like his brother Wladimir, five years his junior.

“

Vitali was endowed with extraordinary physical qualities, slower than his brother, but with mental strength and a steel chin

,” recalls journalist Jean-Philippe Lustyk, author of the

Grand Livre de la Boxe

(Ed. Marabout).

“

And

one

of the main qualities of a boxer is his ability to resist, to take punches.
Vitali had devastating power as he suffered only two defeats in his career and had 41 knockouts to his credit… This is one of the highest ratios in the history of boxing!

► To read also: Ukraine: Vitali Klitschko, former glory of boxing, from mayor to defender of kyiv

With his brother Wladimir, he won all the titles and imposed his law on the rings in the 2000s. A pact and a promise bound them, made to their mother, that of never fighting each other.

They had enormous discipline, inherited from their father who was a general in the Soviet army, one of the 'liquidators' of Chernobyl

", recalls Jean-Philippe Lustyk.

“

They also had enormous courage and a
behavior in the ring that corresponded to their behavior in life: no provocations, no deviations of language… Sufficiency, the pride inherent in champions, but also a righteousness and great intelligence since both have scientific studies.

One of the Maidan leaders

In the 2000s, crowned by his successes in the ring, Vitali Klitschko tried for the first time to impose himself in politics.

He failed twice to seize the town hall of kyiv, but already demonstrates a certain know-how.

Among other great sportsmen who tried to get into politics in the 2000s, he was the most prepared

," says journalist Volodymyr Yermolenko.

“

There were other attempts like that of Andriy Shevchenko, for example, our football star, but Klitschko, from the start, showed a certain political maturity.

Vitali Klitschko's political career will really take off thanks to Maidan, the pro-European movement that broke out in Kiev in 2014. "

He was very involved from the start, and he became one of the three leaders of the movement with Arseni Yatsenyuk and Oleh Tyahnybok.
Yatseniouk was more of an intellectual, Tyahnybok was a nationalist leader, but Klitchko was more of the “strong” side of Maidan.

Mayors on the front line

After Maidan Vitali Klitchko plans to run for the presidency, but he gives up and ends up supporting Petro Poroshenko, who will be beaten in 2019 by Volodymyr Zelensky.

But the former boxer manages to conquer the town hall of kyiv, a position that has become very important in Ukraine due to decentralization reforms, which have given more power to large cities.

These reforms also explain, in the eyes of Volodymyr Yermolenko, the crucial role played since the beginning of the war by the mayors of towns besieged by the Russian army.

This spirit of decentralization is very important in Ukraine and therefore everything does not go through Zelensky alone, there is a plurality of power in Ukraine which is very important now.

And it's not only Klitchko, it's also the mayor of Kharkiv who plays an important role, it's also that of Chernihiv, or that of Mikolaiev.

This spirit of resistance comes from the people, from the communities, from each citizen and it is obviously represented by the cities, by the local authorities.

Now 51, Vitali Klitschko has joined the reserve troops of the Ukrainian army like his brother, ready to fight with arms in hand to defend his city.

A final fight for the former boxer who has become one of the figures of the Ukrainian resistance.

European of the week - Vitali Klitschko, the former boxer who became mayor of kyiv

Vitali Klitschko, the former boxer who became mayor of kyiv

"A chin of steel"

One of the Maidan leaders

Mayors on the front line

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