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On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin sanctioned the military operation to conduct artillery and missile attacks to strike the major cities in Ukraine, including its capital Kyiv. As Ukraine suffers through turbulent times, countries have come together to offer their support financially and provide defense gear to stop the Russian invasion. As the war rages on, Ukrainian citizens are fleeing the country and finding refuge in the neighboring places as the country endured an ambush. Many celebrities are showing their solidarity to offer aid and support to the citizens as people struggle to find water, food, and shelter during these turbulent times.
From cash donations to support through meals and shelter, actors and famous entrepreneurs have come forward during this time of need to offer help and support in every way possible.
Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees for the USA has provided safe aid for Ukrainian citizens who are fleeing their countries. According to NBC News, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have pledged to double every dollar donated to the UNHCR up to $1 million. The couple is known to be philanthropic over the years and has contributed to causes such as B.C’s Great Bear Rainforest Indigenous Mentorship Program and has launched the Ugly Sweater campaign to help the Hospital for Sick Children, which recently raised $640,000.
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is one of the few celebrities who has been closely working with the United Nations over the last few decades to create a change in the immigration community. She got appointed as the Special Envoy for the UNHCR, and the actress expressed her grave concern over the lives lost through her social media account. She also shared the news that the UN is working closely with neighboring countries to offer shelter to the Ukrainian citizens fleeing the country, and the number is estimated to escalate to 4 million.
Sean Penn
While many celebrities are making valuable contributions through the online medium, Sean Penn decided to support the country by showing the real-time scenario to people around the world. Penn first visited Ukraine in November 2021 when he was planning to film a documentary, as stated by Variety. On March 01, 2022, the actor fled to Ukraine and walked miles until the Polish border, where he found refuge. A great humanitarian, he is also the founder of Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) that has helped raise money for various communities since the Haiti earthquake in 2010.
Elon Musk
When Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted Elon Musk, asking for his help to provide internet access to various regions in Ukraine, he immediately acted upon the request. Within a short period, he delivered hardware from Starlink, his satellite internet company which will provide broadband internet access to remote locations. More afresh, Musk has also donated $5.74 billion of his Tesla shares to charity after the UN World Food Program tweeted that $6 billion would save world hunger.
José Andrés
José Andrés is a Spanish celebrity chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, an organization that feeds people during disaster settings. The organization has worked tirelessly during the 2017 Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Andrés has set up sites in the neighboring countries of Ukraine and has provided over 8,000 meals, as reported by Wall Street Journal. Multiple chefs from Ukraine and around the world joined his cause and have been working in kitchens to bring food to people struggling to find anything to eat since the invasion.
Michael Keaton
The environment at the 2022 SAG Awards remained light on February 27; however, celebrities used their platform to show their support to Ukraine through their speeches. Michael Keaton bagged the award for Outstanding Actor for his work on Dopesick and appreciated fellow actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine who was a former comedian. Keaton is known to support many causes and has helped Pittsburgh non-profits deliver 500 meals during the pandemic.
Bethenny Frankel
Bethenny Frankel has made one of the most considerable contributions to helping the women and children in Ukraine who are unable to find essential hygiene products. As mentioned by NY Post, through her non-profit BStrong, she has supplied over 100,000 survival and hygiene kits worth $10 million. Additionally, she has also raised $5 million in cash to help people leave the country and move to neighboring places like Poland.
Mila Kunis And Ashton Kutcher
Mila Kunis was born in Ukraine before her family moved to America when she was young. As the actress is heavily affected by watching her home country suffer, Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher are taking drastic measures to urge the people of Russia to understand the false media claims made in their country. Kutcher is an investor in Airbnb, which is offering 100,000 refugees free housing and lodging services in neighboring countries.
Other celebrities who have strongly spoken against the war include Brian Cox, Tyler Perry, and Douglas Hodge. As Russian forces intend a complete annexation of Ukraine, the country has become an unsafe destination for its citizens separated from their families. With the help provided by various nations and personalities, Ukraine can find refuge as the world comes together to support it.
Sources: NBC News, Variety, Wall Street Journal, NY Post