Photo: Youtube
Arnold's message was too much for the Kremlin to ignore.
By Dan O'Reilly — Written on Mar 22, 2022
With the war in Ukraine raging, many are weighing in on Vladimir Putin’s unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.
While there is a deluge of support for the Ukrainian people whose lives and homes are being destroyed by the Russian invaders, the Russian population is also the topic of discussion in regards to the war.
Many are praising Russians who are protesting against the war in spite of threats of imprisonment and fines. Some, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, are sending messages to the Russian people to try and tell them the truth of the conflict in Ukraine and to inspire them to action.
Arnold Schwarzenegger had a powerful message for the Russian people.
Schwarzenegger put out a powerful video message to the Russian people last week that was moving for many.
In the video, Schwarzenegger discusses issues of prejudice and his own father’s struggles as a soldier fighting for Germany during the second world war.
Most powerfully, Schwarzenegger calls upon his own past experiences with the Russian people, including one of his idols, a Russian weightlifter named Yuri Petrovich Vlasov.
Schwarzenegger’s message was received extremely positively across the world, but the question of whether it had reached its intended audience remained somewhat of an open question.
It seems that Arnold Schwartzenegger’s message reached the Russian people.
Schwartzenegger’s message reportedly went viral on Telegram, a social media platform used by Russians, suggesting that the video was widely circulated and is at the forefront of the minds of many Russians.
After trying to ignore Schwartzenegger’s message for almost a week, it seems like the proliferation of the video has become too much for the Kremlin to disregard.
Russian officials, celebrities, and state media have attacked Schwartzenegger and his message.
Attempts at witty retorts toward Schwartzenegger’s message have come from a variety of sources, from Russian state officials to pro-invasion celebrities.
One such remark came from TV host Vadim Gigin, who, in an attempt to reclaim Schwartzenegger’s idol, said, “Vlasov couldn’t transfer any of his brain with his handshake and the gifted cup.”
It took Russian officials and celebrities days to respond to the message.
Schwartzenegger’s message may have been as powerful as it was, partly because it is resistant to the Kremlin’s usual claims of Russophobia when addressing criticisms of Russia and the invasion; Schwartzenegger expressed great affection for the Russian people and named Vlasov as one of his idols.
Many are speculating that one of the reason’s why the Kremlin took so long to respond is because they did not want to respond at all, as doing so might just bring more attention to it.
If this theory is true, then that would suggest that Schwartzenegger’s message was so powerful that the Kremlin was forced to address it.
In a sea of propaganda and intelligence coming out of the war, Schwartzenegger’s message was powerful and moving to many in the west.
Perhaps, those in Russia found it just as moving.
If you want to help the people of Ukraine, please donate to United Help Ukraine who are providing donations, food and medical supplies to displaced Ukrainians.
Dan O'Reilly is a writer who covers news, politics, and social justice. Follow him on Twitter.