“Ukraine did not start this war. Neither did nationalists or Nazis,” he said. “Those in power in the Kremlin started this war.”
“There are things that are going on in the world that are being kept from you, terrible things that you should know about,” Schwarzenegger said.
“I know the Russian people are not aware such things are happening, so I urge the Russian people and the Russian soldiers in Ukraine to understand the propaganda and the disinformation that you are being told. I ask you to help me spread the truth.”
He heavily criticized the Russian government for the invasion, saying they “lied not only to its citizens but to its soldiers” for the reasons behind the war.
Schwarzenegger included a message for Russians protesting publicly against the war at great risk to personal liberty.
“The world has seen your bravery. We know that you have suffered the consequences of your courage,” he said.
“You are my new heroes. You have the strength of Yuri Petrovich Vlasov. You have the true heart of Russia.”
