During a new interview, Wladimir Klitschko — a former champion boxer-turned-member of Ukraine’s military whose brother, Vitali, is the mayor of the Ukrainian capital — condemned those, including Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who he said were “passively observing” the unfolding war in Klitschko’s country rather than siding with Ukraine. The devastation in Ukraine due to the actions of Russian invaders is immense and continuing to grow — and in the U.S., prominent right-wingers including Carlson and conservative commentator Candace Owens, who the person interviewing Klitschko also referenced, have offered public resistance to what should be the easy path of backing those whose lives and freedom are being threatened. Carlson even sought to at least partially excuse Putin for the war, blaming the United States for “inciting” the conflict, which is ridiculous. Nobody made Putin start bombing Ukraine.
Interviewer Eric Bolling asked Klitschko:
‘You have about two-thirds of the support of the American people right now, but there is a small group… that believe that what’s happening in Ukraine is not the United States’ problem. There’s [the] very popular television host, Tucker Carlson… Candace Owens as well… What do you say to those people?’
To that, Klitschko replied:
‘If you passively observe what is going on — and we do share the same principles of freedom and democratic principles, like the United States, like the Western world so to speak. If you’re passively observing, you are part of this invasion. Blood is on your hands too. If you still have business and trade with Russia, and you don’t isolate Russia economically, you’re bringing bullets and rockets into [Ukraine].’
Check out the pointed exchange below:
"If you are passively observing, you are part of this invasion, blood is on your hands, too."
Boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko criticized Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and conservatives who are opposed to offering Ukraine military aid. https://t.co/5TEb3jC9P0 pic.twitter.com/RJE9PyFVGr
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 29, 2022
An early March Russian government document pushed media outlets aligned with Putin’s regime to use Carlson in their coverage — and Russian state television has, at this point, repeatedly used footage of Carlson in their broadcasts. That March document stated that it was “essential to use as much as possible fragments of broadcasts of the popular Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who sharply criticizes the actions of the United States [and] NATO, their negative role in unleashing the conflict in Ukraine, [and] the defiantly provocative behavior from the leadership of the Western countries and NATO towards the Russian Federation and towards President Putin, personally.” These details constitute the impact of Carlson’s work: he’s providing cover for a murderous, authoritarian regime… and he’s apparently unapologetic about it.
⚡️Russian missile strike destroys fuel depot in Khmelnytskyi Oblast.
Mykola Melnychuk, mayor of Starokostiantyniv, said that there were no casualties as a result of the March 29 strike on the town’s airport but all strategic reserves of fuels and lubricants have been destroyed.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 29, 2022
Carlson has also spoken as though it was a foregone conclusion that the war would end up with Ukraine defeated, which is not the direction that the conflict is actually going. As Carlson mockingly put it: “And by the way, caring about Ukraine means prolonging a bloody war on Ukraine until the entire country of Ukraine has been destroyed and millions of Ukrainians are refugees.”
⚡️Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic expel Russian diplomats over espionage.
17 diplomats have been expelled from the Netherlands, 21 from Belgium, and 1 from the Czech Republic. “We are reducing the Russian intelligence presence in the EU,” Czech foreign ministry wrote.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 29, 2022
Now, Russian forces continue to suffer strategic defeats in Ukraine: Ukrainian defenders have obtained victories with the liberation from Russian control of certain areas, including the Kyiv suburb of Irpin. Other liberations include spots in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. CNN’s Jim Sciutto said Tuesday that ‘Russia is beginning to withdraw some forces from around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, in what the US assesses is a “major” strategy shift, two senior US officials tell me. In the US view, this is not a short-term adjustment to regroup, but a longer-term move as Russia comes to grips with failure to advance in the north.’ Amid peace negotiations, Russia has now stated that it will “drastically reduce” fighting in the Kyiv area — something that (obviously) isn’t some kind of unilateral move but actually comes after significant battlefield defeats for Putin’s army. “US officials make clear the pullback is the direct result of Russia’s failure to make further gains around Kyiv, thwarting its plan to quickly encircle and take the capital,” Sciutto added.
2/ In the US view, this is not a short-term adjustment to regroup, but a longer-term move as Russia comes to grips with failure to advance in the north. Russian MOD said Tuesday it has decided to “drastically reduce hostilities” in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions.
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) March 29, 2022
