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In the video, the actor spoke of his affection for the Russian people.
In a heartfelt video message, Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed Russian citizens, Russian soldiers and even President Vladimir Putin.
In his speech, Schwarzenegger – born in Austria and whose father fought in World War II – warned Russians that they are receiving misinformation about his country’s assault on Ukraine.
Addressing Putin directly, Schwarzenegger said: “You started this war and you can stop it”.
His speech, spoken in English and subtitled in both English and Russian, was praised by Russians who oppose the war in Ukraine.
Writing on the Telegram app, opposition politician Lev Shlosberg said that he was filmed with respect for the Russian people.
“Arnold Schwarzenegger has a unique ability to talk to anyone with persuasion, respect and on an equal footing. Wit, power and fairness. Listen. Think about it. Understand,” Shlosberg said.
Also on Telegram, liberal journalist Anton Orekh said the message did not contain “Russophobia”.
“We are outcasts in the world…Arnold is one of the few people who addressed the Russians not as savage orcs, but as good people who have lost their way,” Orekh said.
The lie of “denazifying” Ukraine
Russia has maintained since the beginning of the invasion that it is a “special military operation” to protect Russian-speaking Ukrainians.
But in his video, Schwarzenegger said that the kremlin the he was lying to the russians when he claimed that the invasion was intended to “denazify” Ukraine.
“Denazify Ukraine? This is not true,” he said.
Ukraine did not start the war, but “those in power in the Kremlin” did, he said.
As of 16:00 GMT on Friday, the video had been viewed nearly 27 million times and retweeted 346,000 times.
Schwarzenegger is one of the few accounts followed by the official Kremlin Twitter accounts in Russian and English.
“This is not the war of the Russian people”
In the nine-minute video, which also shows footage of the destruction in Ukraine, the actor-turned-politician – he was California’s governor from 2003 to 2011 – called on people to watch beyond disinformation and propaganda.
“I’m talking to you today because things are happening in the world that are hiding you, terrible things that you should know,” he said.
“Ukraine did not start this war, neither the nationalists nor the Nazis“, he said, adding that the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is Jewish. “This is not the war of the Russian people”.
The former bodybuilding champion, whose movie “Red Hell” (Red Heat) was the first American filmed in Moscow’s Red Square, she talks about her affection for the Russian people and how she was inspired in her youth by the Russian bodybuilder Yuri Vlasov.
He also talks about his father, who was among the Nazi German troops who attacked St. Petersburg, then called Leningrad. He came back a “broken man” filled with pain from an injury he suffered during the match and the guilt he felt for taking part.
“The strength and heart of the Russian people have always inspired me,” he said. “That’s why I hope you’ll let me tell you the truth about the war in Ukraine.”
“This is an illegal war. Their lives, their members, their future have been sacrificed for a senseless war condemned by the entire world.”
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