Arnold Schwarzenegger sends message to Putin
<p dir="ltr">Arnold Schwarzenegger <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/russia-ukraine-war-arnold-schwarzenegger-makes-direct-plea-to-putin-on-ukraine-invasion/GH3BSFAAWV6EYOS7FG75UANVZE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has sent</a> out a message aimed at Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian people about the invasion of Ukraine, calling on the people to listen to him as a “long-time friend” as he sheds light on the “truth”.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The 74-year-old shared a video on social media, in which he described his love for Russia and its people and harsh criticisms of Putin and the Kremlin.</p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-08db5796-7fff-9587-dea0-06e634334a1a"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">“To President Putin, I say, you started this war. You are leading this war. You can stop this war,” Schwarzenegger said in the clip.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">He began by saying he was sharing his message through “various different channels” to reach the Russian people, including those serving in Ukraine.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I’m speaking to you today because there are things going on in the world that are being kept from you, terrible things you should know about,” Schwarzenegger began the clip.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In the nine-minute clip, the <em>Terminator </em>star spoke of his Russian hero, weightlifter Yury Vlasov, and how meeting him sparked his long-held friendship with the Russian people.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Ever since I was 14 years old I’ve had nothing but affection and respect for the people of Russia,” he continued.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7417a1c5-7fff-b2cc-e32c-eed57545005f"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">“The strength and the heart of the Russian people have always inspired me.”</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/arnie-russia1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Arnold Schwarzenegger has visited Russia numerous times over the years, including visiting Moscow in 1996 (pictured). Image: Getty Images</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Schwarzenegger went on to say it was these feelings that made him speak out and want to tell the people the truth about the war in Ukraine.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“No one likes to hear something critical about 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,” he said, adding that he was speaking with the same “heartfelt concern” he used in a message to the American people following the January 6 insurrection attempt.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I know that your government has told you that this is a war to denazify Ukraine. Denazify Ukraine? This is not true!</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Ukraine is a country with a Jewish president, a Jewish president I might add, whose father’s three brothers were all murdered by the Nazis.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“You see, Ukraine did not start this war. Neither did the nationalists or Nazis. Those in power in the Kremlin started the war. This is not the Russian people’s war.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“As a matter of fact … what you should know is that 141 nations at the UN voted that Russia was the aggressor.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“They called for it to remove its troops immediately. Only four countries in the entire world voted with Russia. This is a fact.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Schwarzenegger spoke about how Russian artillery and bombs have destroyed “whole city blocks”, including hospitals, and of the three million refugees who have fled the country.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“It is a humanitarian crisis,” he said. </p>
<p dir="ltr">“Because of its brutality, Russia is now isolated from the society of nations. You’re also not being told the truth about the consequences of this war on Russia itself.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I regret to tell you that thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“They have been caught between Ukrainians fighting for their homeland and the Russian leadership fighting for conquest.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">He said that both the citizens and soldiers had been lied to by the government, and that the wildly different things they have been told - from going to fight Nazis to particpating in training exercises - were all false.</p>
<p dir="ltr">He then questioned the Russian government’s willingness to sacrifice soldiers for “your own ambitions”, and urged Russians listening to help him spread the truth.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Let your fellow Russians know the human catastrophe that is happening in Ukraine,” he said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Schwarzenegger’s message came as Ukrainian cities continued to be bombed, with the capital Kyiv being the target of missiles early on Thursday morning.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The southern city of Mariupol was also the target of heavy attack, with city officials estimating at least 2400 people had died as a result.</p>
<p dir="ltr">According to US authorities, an estimated 28,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded during the three-week invasion.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b7521013-7fff-d307-95ca-d5be4c8e23a0"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @schwarzenegger (Instagram)</em></p>