Photo: Arnold Schwarzenegger; © PA Archive
Hollywood superstar and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has released a 10-minute video in which he has pleaded with ordinary Russians to understand what is truly going on in Ukraine.
Russia has shut out most of Western media and has banned Twitter and Facebook following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, meaning many Russians do not truly know what is happening. The Kremlin calls the war a 'special military operation' and has said it must 'de-nazify' and 'demilitarise' Ukraine. It has also alleged Ukraine wishes to have nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that it can use against Russia, all claims which are backed up with little or no evidence.
In the 10-minute video, the former Governor said:
There are things going on in the world that are being kept from you, terrible things that you should know about. No-one likes to hear anything critical about their government, I understand that, but as a long-time friend of the Russian people, I hope that you will hear what I have to say. There are moments like this that are so wrong and then we have to speak up. I know that your government has told you that this is a war to denazify Ukraine, this is not true. Ukraine is a country with a Jewish president whose father's three brothers were all murdered by the Nazis. You see, Ukraine did not start this war. Neither did nationalists or Nazis. Those in power in the Kremlin started this war. This is not the Russian people's war."
Adding:
"The world has turned against Russia because of its actions in Ukraine, whole city blocks have been flattened by Russian artillery and bombs, including a children's hospital and a maternity hospital. It is a humanitarian crisis. You're also not being told the truth about the consequences of this war on Russia. I regret to tell you that thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed, they have been caught between Ukrainians fighting for their homeland and the Russian leadership fighting for conquest. The Russian Government has lied not only to its citizens, but to its soldiers. This is an illegal war, your lives, your limbs are being sacrificed for a senseless war condemned by the entire world."
I love the Russian people. That is why I have to tell you the truth. Please watch and share. pic.twitter.com/6gyVRhgpFV
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) March 17, 2022
How many Russians will actually see the video is unclear.
This isn't the first time the Terminator star has spoken from the heart on twitter. After Trump said there were 'bad people on both sides' of the far-right and antifascist confrontation in Charlottesville, Schwarzenegger released a video describing how there are no good Nazis and he had grown up around broken and defeated Nazis who were pathetic and had committed atrocious deeds.
[Based on reporting by: MSN]
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