Arnold Schwarzenegger , the Hollywood star and former governor of California, is speaking out amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The actor took to social media on Thursday …
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Hollywood star and former governor of California, is speaking out amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The actor took to social media on Thursday and shared a passionate nine-minute video in which he urged Russian citizens and military members, in particular, to hear “the truth.” The famed bodybuilder revealed he wanted to dispel information and urged for Russia’s government, military and citizens to end the ongoing violence. “The strength and the heart of the Russian people have always inspired me,” said the 74-year-old. “That is why I hope that you will let me tell you the truth about the war in Ukraine and what is happening there. No one likes to hear something critical of their government, I understand that. But as a longtime friend of the Russian people, I hope that you will hear what I have to say.” Schwarzenegger cited Yuri Petrovich Vlasov, a champion weightlifter from Russia as one of his childhood idols. He described how his father Gustav Schwarzenegger, a member of the Nazi party who served in World War II, became angry when he hung a picture of Vlasov in his room. “My father told me to take down the picture and to find a German or Austrian hero,” Schwarzenegger recalled. “But I did not take down the photograph, because it didn’t matter to me what flag Yuri Vlasov carried.
