Kiev’s mayor has said Ukrainians will find themselves living in a “nightmare” if Russia invades but insisted his countrymen and women would fight for their future.
Vitali Klitschko sought to counter Moscow’s assertions that Ukraine had sparked the crisis and insisted that his country was “not aggressive to anyone”.
He thanked Britain for offering military and political support to Ukraine and said “it will be very difficult to survive” if that assistance drops off in the event of an invasion.
In an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, he painted a picture of strong defiance among Ukrainians.
“We are not aggressive to anyone but if someone comes to Ukraine, we don’t have another choice [except to fight],” Mr Klitschko said.
“We have to defend our country, defend our independence, defend our territorial integrity and we have to fight for our country for our values, for our future.”
Asked how Ukrainians would respond if foreign soldiers showed up on their streets, he said: “It will be a nightmare, it will be [an] aggressive attack to Ukraine. We don’t want to do that but we don’t have another choice.”
He said Ukraine is a "friendly nation" that has a vision to build itself up to become a “modern European country”.
Mr Klitschko said Ukrainians have been “shocked” by the build-up of Russian soldiers on the eastern border and on the northern border with Belarus.
His comments come as advisers from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France prepare to meet for crisis talks in Paris on Wednesday.
Moscow has accused the West of flooding Ukraine with weapons. Nations allied with Ukraine have said Russia is acting as an aggressor.
Before venturing into politics, Mr Klitschko was a world heavyweight boxing champion. He is the only boxer to have held the world champion title in three different decades.
Together with his younger brother Wladimir, they were considered to be the dominant world heavyweight boxers of their era, when their careers peaked between 2004 and 2015.
Mr Klitschko this week accused Germany of “betraying” Ukraine over its support for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and its refusal to supply arms to Kiev.
Writing in German daily newspaper Bild, he said: “There is huge disappointment in Ukraine that the federal government is sticking to Nord Stream 2 and that it does not want to supply defence weapons.
“This is failure to provide assistance and betrayal of friends in a dramatic situation in which our country is threatened by Russian troops from several borders.”
The Kiev mayor said Germany needs to send “clear signals” to Europe and the wider world revealing exactly where it stands on the Ukraine crisis.
“It pains me to see how [Russian President Vladimir] Putin sympathisers” are calling the political shots in Germany, he said.
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DUBAI WORLD CUP RACE CARD
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
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9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Well Of Wisdom
7.05pm Summrghand
7.40pm Laser Show
8.15pm Angel Alexander
8.50pm Benbatl
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10pm: Beyond Reason
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Kanye%20West
%3Cp%3EYe%20%E2%80%94%20the%20rapper%20formerly%20known%20as%20Kanye%20West%20%E2%80%94%20has%20seen%20his%20net%20worth%20fall%20to%20%24400%20million%20in%20recent%20weeks.%20That%E2%80%99s%20a%20precipitous%20drop%20from%20Bloomberg%E2%80%99s%20estimates%20of%20%246.8%20billion%20at%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3Cbr%3EYe%E2%80%99s%20wealth%20plunged%20after%20business%20partners%2C%20including%20Adidas%2C%20severed%20ties%20with%20him%20on%20the%20back%20of%20anti-Semitic%20remarks%20earlier%20this%20year.%3Cbr%3EWest%E2%80%99s%20present%20net%20worth%20derives%20from%20cash%2C%20his%20music%2C%20real%20estate%20and%20a%20stake%20in%20former%20wife%20Kim%20Kardashian%E2%80%99s%20shapewear%20firm%2C%20Skims.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Racecard
6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.10pm: British Business Group – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
8.20pm: Czech Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,400m
8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
