Muri Assunção, New York Daily News
Sat, February 26, 2022,
Milla Jovovich shared an emotional Instagram post on Friday, urging her near 4 million followers to help her native country of Ukraine against the full-scale military invasion ordered by Vladimir Putin earlier this week.
“I am heartbroken and dumbstruck trying to process the events of this week in my birthplace of Ukraine,” Jovovich wrote. “My country and people being bombed. Friends and family in hiding.”
The 46-year-old actress and supermodel was born in Kyiv to a Serbian father and a Russian mother. According to her IMDb page, her family left the then-Soviet Union for the U.K. when she was 5, and they eventually relocated to Los Angeles.
“My blood and my roots come from both Russia and Ukraine. I am torn in two as I watch the horror unfolding, the country being destroyed, families being displaced, their whole life lying in charred fragments around them,” she wrote, recalling her family’s experiences with brutal and bloody conflicts.
“I remember the war in my father’s homeland of former Yugoslavia and the stories my family tells of the trauma and terror they experienced. War. Always war. Leaders who cannot bring peace. The never-ending juggernaut of imperialism. And always, the people pay in bloodshed and tears,” she wrote, adding the hashtag #helpukraine.
In the post, which received nearly 47,000 likes as of Saturday morning, the star of the “Resident Evil” film franchise added several links to “organizations who can help the people of Ukraine.”
Among them, a link to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund; the Return Alive Foundation; the Ukrainian Foundation, which helps children living in the war zones of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions; the Kyiv Independent, in support of independent journalism in Ukraine; and link to a site that supports LGBTQ members of the Ukrainian military.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY
Sat, February 26, 2022
Sean Penn, in Ukraine working on a documentary about the ongoing Russian assault, called the invasion "already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken."
"If he doesn't relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind," Penn said in a statement to USA TODAY early Saturday morning. President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people "have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle. Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost."
The Office of the President wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday that the actor and filmmaker attended news briefings, met with Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk and spoke to journalists and military personnel about the Russian invasion.
Why is Russia invading Ukraine? Could it be the start of WWIII? Here's what we know
"Sean Penn demonstrates the courage that many others, especially western politicians lack," the president's office wrote on Facebook. "The director specially came to Kiev to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our country."
He was also there in late November to work on the project, which is being produced by VICE Studios. Photographs at the time showed him visiting the frontlines of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the Donetsk region.
Sean Penn is on the ground filming a documentary in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.
The Oscar winner has been involved in numerous international humanitarian and anti-war efforts over the years and founded the non-profit disaster relief organization CORE in response to the 2010 earthquakes in Haiti, chronicled in the documentary "Citizen Penn."
Contributing: Associated Press
Sean Penn: Putin will be making 'most horrible mistake for all of humankind'
Sat, February 26, 2022
Hollywood actor and producer Sean Penn visits positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the frontline with Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk region in November
"Milk" actor Sean Penn warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be making the "most horrible mistake for all of humankind" if he does not relent and stop Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn't relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind. President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle," Penn said in a statement.
"Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams," he added. "If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost."
Penn's comments come as the 61-year-old actor is in Ukraine filming a documentary, which is a Vice Studios production associated with Endeavor Content and Vice World News.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Thursday, just two days after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, that over 100 people had died and over 300 others had been injured, though those estimates have grown since then. The U.N. refugee agency estimated on Saturday that close to 116,000 Ukrainians have been displaced since Thursday.
The development shows the staggering change of events that have transpired in over 48 hours, with a handful of countries, including the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S., announcing sanctions against Putin and the Russian foreign minister.
The deputy head of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, warned on Saturday that Russia could retaliate in response, including freezing Western assets, restoring the death penalty and removing itself from its nuclear arms deal with the U.S., The Associated Press reported.
"We are being driven out of everywhere, punished and threatened, but we don't feel scared," Medvedev said on a Russian social media platform, according to the newswire.
Sat, February 26, 2022
Hollywood actor and producer Sean Penn visits positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the frontline with Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk region in November
"Milk" actor Sean Penn warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be making the "most horrible mistake for all of humankind" if he does not relent and stop Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn't relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind. President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle," Penn said in a statement.
"Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams," he added. "If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost."
Penn's comments come as the 61-year-old actor is in Ukraine filming a documentary, which is a Vice Studios production associated with Endeavor Content and Vice World News.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Thursday, just two days after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, that over 100 people had died and over 300 others had been injured, though those estimates have grown since then. The U.N. refugee agency estimated on Saturday that close to 116,000 Ukrainians have been displaced since Thursday.
The development shows the staggering change of events that have transpired in over 48 hours, with a handful of countries, including the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S., announcing sanctions against Putin and the Russian foreign minister.
The deputy head of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, warned on Saturday that Russia could retaliate in response, including freezing Western assets, restoring the death penalty and removing itself from its nuclear arms deal with the U.S., The Associated Press reported.
"We are being driven out of everywhere, punished and threatened, but we don't feel scared," Medvedev said on a Russian social media platform, according to the newswire.
Sean Penn on Invasion of Ukraine: ‘If We Allow It to Fight Alone, Our Soul as America Is Lost’
Claudia Eller
Sat, February 26, 2022
Sean Penn, who is in Ukraine filming a documentary about Russia’s invasion, released a statement on Friday night after appearing at a press briefing in the capital of Kyiv on Thursday, where he listened to government officials talk about the crisis.
“Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn’t relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind,” Penn said. “President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle. Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost.”
This week, Newsweek reported that “Penn has visited the Office of the President and spoken with deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk, as well as local journalists and members of the Ukrainian military.” The Office of the President issued a statement praising the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker, noting that the director had come to Kyiv to record events that were unfolding in Ukraine “and to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country.”
Scroll back up to restore default view.
The doc is a Vice Studios production in association with Vice World News and Endeavor Content. Penn last flew to Ukraine in November 2021. He started preparing for his documentary by visiting with the country’s military.
Penn’s non-profit organization Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) was set up in response to the Haiti earthquake of 2010 and also deployed teams to aid with COVID-19 testing and vaccines across the country.
Claudia Eller
Sat, February 26, 2022
Sean Penn, who is in Ukraine filming a documentary about Russia’s invasion, released a statement on Friday night after appearing at a press briefing in the capital of Kyiv on Thursday, where he listened to government officials talk about the crisis.
“Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn’t relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind,” Penn said. “President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle. Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost.”
This week, Newsweek reported that “Penn has visited the Office of the President and spoken with deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk, as well as local journalists and members of the Ukrainian military.” The Office of the President issued a statement praising the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker, noting that the director had come to Kyiv to record events that were unfolding in Ukraine “and to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country.”
Scroll back up to restore default view.
The doc is a Vice Studios production in association with Vice World News and Endeavor Content. Penn last flew to Ukraine in November 2021. He started preparing for his documentary by visiting with the country’s military.
Penn’s non-profit organization Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) was set up in response to the Haiti earthquake of 2010 and also deployed teams to aid with COVID-19 testing and vaccines across the country.
More from Variety
Poland News Channel TVN24 Works 24/7 to Cover Russia's 'Insane and Inhuman Invasion'
Sky News Dedicates Two Daily Specials To Cover Russia's Invasion of Ukraine (TV News Roundup)
AJR Cancels Russian Tour Due to Ukraine Invasion -- Will Others Follow?
Poland News Channel TVN24 Works 24/7 to Cover Russia's 'Insane and Inhuman Invasion'
Sky News Dedicates Two Daily Specials To Cover Russia's Invasion of Ukraine (TV News Roundup)
AJR Cancels Russian Tour Due to Ukraine Invasion -- Will Others Follow?
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