Vitali Klitschko kisses bride as brave couple get married on Kiev front line

03/07/2022

A brave couple got married on the front line of Ukraine's war against Russia in Kiev – and Vitali Klitschko was on hand to kiss the bride for good luck.

On the 11th day of fighting in the Ukrainian capital, territorial defence soldiers Valeri and Lesya – who have been together for more than two decades – decided to tie the knot.

Klitschko, mayor of Kiev and former world heavyweight boxing champion, visited the area and congratulated the duo.

Sharing a video of the heartwarming moment on Twitter, Klitschko posted: "Today I greeted the soldiers of one of the battalions of the capital's defence of the capital Lesya and Valeri.

"They have been living in a civil marriage for a long time, and now they have decided to get married. The ceremony took place next to one of the checkpoints. Life goes on!

"And we will protect the life of Kyiv, Kyivites, our state!"

Lesya temporarily swapped her helmet for a veil and held a bouquet as the newlyweds drank Champagne surrounded by their fellow soldiers.

Klitschko and brother Wladimir, who famously lost to Tyson Fury in Dusseldorf and against Anthony Joshua at Wembley towards the end of his glittering career, are among a slew of Ukrainian boxers that have joined the defence effort.

Current world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has taken up arms, as has former three-weight king Vasily Lomachenko.

The Klitschkos say they are "ready to die for Ukraine " in the conflict in a defiant message to Russian forces and president Vladimir Putin.

“I am very proud to see how patriotic people are,” Vitali told CNN. “We’re not interested in how strong the Russian army is, we’re ready to fight.

“And we’re ready to die for our home country and for our families, because it’s our home. It’s our future and somebody wants to come to our home and steal our future from us.”

One Russian solder has admitted he only realised the extent of the war after he saw some of his favourite boxers taking up arms.

“We were told that Ukraine allegedly is dominated literally, I’m 100% wrong now, don’t judge too harshly,” the soldier explained.

“Ukraine’s territory is dominated by a fascists regime, Nazi have seized power.

“Sometimes we get something from some other sources. We could do a little analysis but we had some doubts, we did not know the situation for sure.”

He added: “When we entered the territory, when I watched the address of the professional boxers – your boxers, back home I always loved watching them.

“Usyk and Lomachenko, they’re my favourite, I mean that when I say it.”

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