Sean Penn reveals that he walked miles to the Polish border while making a VICE documentary about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The 61-year-old actor said that both he and his film crew decided to abandon their car and chase them on foot after seeing thousands of Ukrainians flee for safety, with queues stretching for miles.
As Twitter on Monday, Sean described how the cars were full of women and children, with the only property in their possession being the vehicle they were traveling in.
Escape: Sean Penn reveals he traveled miles to the Polish border while filming a VICE documentary about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Horrific scenes: the 61-year-old actor said that he and his team decided to abandon their car and chase on foot after seeing thousands of Ukrainians flee for safety
Sharing a photo, dragging a glued suitcase, Sean wrote: “Two colleagues and I drove miles to the Polish border after leaving our car on the side of the road.
“Almost all the cars in this photo carry only women and children, most without any traces of luggage or car, which is their only valuable possession.”
Sean has been making a documentary about escalating tensions in Ukraine since November last year.
Listening: Sean shoots a documentary on escalating tensions in Ukraine last November, shot with President Vladimir Zelensky last week
Action: Sean travels to Ukraine in November to make the documentary before flying to Kyiv last week to document the invasion
This comes after Sean called President Vladimir Putin the war in Ukraine “brutal mistake”.
Over the weekend, he wrote: “Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he does not reconcile, I believe that Mr. Putin will make the most terrible mistake for all mankind. President Green and the Ukrainian people have risen as historical symbols of courage and principle. “
He added: “Ukraine is the tip of the iceberg of the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow her to fight alone, our soul as America is lost.
Honestly: This comes after Sean called President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine a “brutal mistake” on Twitter over the weekend
Penn flew to Ukraine’s capital last week, Kyiv, and was seen sitting in front of and at the center of a government press briefing just hours after the invasion while posing for VICE for a documentary about the war, which Putin considers a “special military operation. ‘
The documentary is a production of VICE Studios, “in collaboration with VICE World News and Endeavor Content,” according to a spokesman for the media group.
In a translated Facebook post, the Ukrainian government said it was grateful that Sean was there and praised him as braver than Western leaders.
He added: “Ukraine is the tip of the iceberg of the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow him to fight alone, our soul as America is lost.
On deck: Penn flew to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, last week and was seen sitting in front and in the center of a government press briefing just hours after the invasion
In action: The documentary – which has been running for months and focuses on growing tensions in the region – is a production of VICE Studios
“Oscar-winning American actor and director Sean Penn has arrived in Ukraine,” the statement said.
“The director came to Kyiv specifically 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.
“Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such an act of courage and honesty.
“This morning the director visited the president’s office and visited the press briefing of the adviser to the head of the head of state’s office Mikhail Podoliak and the deputy prime minister – Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Irina Vere Pike.
Doing their best: Their conversation was muffled, but Zelensky himself, a former comedian and actor, wrote: “The more people know about the war in Ukraine.”
“He talked to journalists, to our military, saw how we defend our country.
“Sean Penn demonstrates the courage that many others lack, especially Western politicians.”
He then met with President Vladimir Zelenski, who posted a video of their meeting on his Instagram account.
Their conversation was muffled, but Zelensky himself, a former comedian and actor, wrote in a caption: “The more people know about the war in Ukraine, the more likely it is that Russia will stop!”
Ukraine’s president has accused Russia of war crimes after Vladimir Putin’s forces launched attacks that were thought to be cluster and vacuum bombs in a bid to reverse the course of the conflict they have been losing so far.
In a late-night address to Russia, Vladimir said there would “definitely be an international tribunal” for “violating all conventions”, as he said, adding that “no one in the world will forgive you for killing a peaceful the Ukrainian people. ” Hague prosecutors say they intend to launch an investigation “as soon as possible”.
Zelensky speaks after an attack that looked like a cluster bomb on the city of Kharkov on Monday, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens more, and after Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States accused Putin’s forces of using a banned thermobaric bomb against the capital Kyiv at night.
The bombing of Kharkiv continued on Tuesday morning with a rocket landing right in front of the building of the civil public administration, destroying the road outside and blowing up the windows of the building itself.
Footage from the interior shows that the building is badly damaged, with collapsed ceilings and scattered rubble.
Experience: Penn previously filmed his charitable efforts in Haiti for a documentary called Citizen Penn after a devastating earthquake shook the nation; seen in 2021