Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko snaps back at Vladimir Putin's claim the Russian army isn't targeting civilians
- Vitali Klitschko was asked about Vladimir Putin's claim the Russian army isn't bombing civilians.
- "Bullshit," Klitschko responded.
Kyiv mayor and Hall of Fame boxer Vitali Klitschko had a simple but strong word in response to a reporter's question regarding Vladimir Putin's claim that the Russian army isn't bombing civilians.
"Bullshit!" Klitschko said as he stormed on.
Klitschko can be seen on video walking down a street on which a residential building appears to have been destroyed.
Russia's large-scale military invasion of Ukraine began Feb. 24, marking further escalation to a nearly eight-year conflict.
In the days and weeks since, Russia has shelled multiple Ukrainian cities, caused the civilian deaths of hundreds — if not thousands — of people.
A 7 News Sydney reporter, Chris Reason, asked Klitschko about Putin saying Russia was "only targeting military targets."
He uttered the profanity and then apologized, then pointed at a shelled building, and said: "Where is military target? This building is military target?"
The journalist Reason posted footage of the exchange on Twitter.
"Klitschko delivers knockout sound bites that get straight to the point," he said.
Vitali, and his brother Wladimir — a fellow Hall of Fame boxer — have remained in Ukraine to participate in the war effort, and attract international media attention.
They previously called war "absolutely terrifying," "complete madness," and "terror" in 2022.
Last week, Wladimir alleged Ukraine children were "dying by the dozens" as he posted an angry video on Twitter that blasted Putin.
Elsewhere, Joe Biden called Putin a "war criminal" Wednesday, according to CNN, as the US president amps up his condemnation of Russia's leader.
Biden's comment followed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's appeal to Congress for further help defending itself from invasion.
CNN reported that the legal definition of war crimes includes intentional targeting of civilians, pending incontrovertible evidence.