Klitschko had already enlisted in Ukraine's reserve army, and his brother, fellow Hall of Fame boxer Vitali, is the mayor Kyiv.
Hayden Panettiere stands with her ex, Hall of Fame boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and the people of Ukraine.
The 32-year-old actress is using her social media platform to share Klitschko's messages in an effort to raise awareness about the atrocities taking place in Ukraine, following the Russian invasion earlier this week. Panettiere -- who shares 7-year-old daughter, Kaya, with Klitschko -- took to Instagram on Friday and shared her thoughts on the events unfolding across Ukraine.
"I have personally witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian people who fought so hard for their independence and have continued to passionately defend their country over the years," she captioned on her Instagram. "What [Russian president Vladimir] Putin is doing is an absolute disgrace! This horrific moment in history sends a terrifying message: the message that in this day and age, in year 2022, it’s okay to violate the rights of free people and allow autocrats like Putin to take whatever they please."
Panettiere expressed support for those on the front lines but took it a step further when she said, "I wish I was there fighting with you!" Her ex is, in fact, on the front lines standing shoulder to shoulder with his people, mounting an offense against Russian forces trying to move into the Ukraine capital of Kyiv.
It was just a couple of days ago when Klitschko posted on Instagram denouncing the invasion.
"We must face reality and have the courage to draw the conclusions for our future and that of our children," he captioned his post in part. "This is a blatant violation of international law. And, if you listen carefully, this war is also talking about Europe."
He's since vowed to stay in Ukraine and take up arms and defend his country. According to ESPN's Mike Coppinger, Klitschko enlisted in Ukraine's reserve army in Kyiv earlier this month as the country braced for an attack.
Klitschko's older brother, Vitali -- also a Hall of Fame boxer and former world heavyweight champion -- has been the mayor of Kyiv since 2014. He also joined the thousands who remained in Ukraine to fend off the attack.
"It's already a bloody war," Vitali said said Thursday on ITV's "Good Morning Britain." "... I don't have another choice. I have to do that. I would fight."
Panettiere, who assured fans her daughter is safe and not in Ukraine, also shared one of Klitschko's tweets in which he wrote, "The world is watching how reckless and deadly imperialism is, not just for #Ukraine but the whole world. Let history be a lesson to not be repeated."
On Saturday morning, Klitschko posted a 1 minute video imploring the world to act now and stop the Russian aggression before it's too late.
Meanwhile, Bethenny Frankel's BStrong initiative is already on the ground providing aid to the thousands fleeing the war-torn country. Her BStrong initiative -- in partnership with Global Empowerment Mission -- is sending 100,000 crisis kits and raising money to help those fleeing reach families living in different parts of the world.
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