Sean Penn has revealed he has walked miles to the Polish border as he films a VICE documentary on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The actor, 61, said both he and his film crew decided to abandon their car and pursue on foot after seeing the thousands of Ukrainian residents fleeing for safety, with queues stretching for miles.
Taking to Twitter on Monday, Sean described how cars were filled with women and children, with their only possession of value being the vehicle they were travelling in.
Fleeing: Sean Penn has revealed he has walked miles to the Polish border as he films a VICE documentary on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Harrowing scenes: The actor, 61, said both he and his film crew decided to abandon their car and pursue on foot after seeing the thousands of Ukrainian residents fleeing for safety
Sharing a picture dragging a taped up suitcase, Sean wrote: ‘Myself & two colleagues walked miles to the Polish border after abandoning our car on the side of the road.
‘Almost all the cars in this photo carry women & children only, most without any sign of luggage, and a car their only possession of value.’
Sean has been filming the documentary about the escalating tension in Ukraine since November last year.
Listening: Sean has been filming the documentary about the escalating tension in Ukraine since November last year, pictured with President Volodymyr Zelensky last week
It comes after Sean called President Vladimir Putin‘s war on Ukraine a ‘brutal mistake’.
He wrote over the weekend: ‘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.’
He added: ‘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.’
Honest: It comes after Sean called President Vladimir Putin ‘s war on Ukraine a ‘brutal mistake’ on Twitter over the weekend
Penn flew into the capital of Ukraine last week, Kyiv, and was seen sitting front and center at a government press briefing mere hours into the invasion as he represented VICE for a documentary being filmed about the war, which Putin deemed a ‘special military operation.’
The documentary is a VICE Studios production, ‘in association 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 for Sean being there and he was lauded as being more courageous than Western leaders.
He added: ‘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’
On deck: Penn flew into the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, last week and was seen sitting front and center at a government press briefing mere hours into the invasion
In action: The documentary -which has been in the works for months and has focused on the rising tensions in the region- is a VICE Studios production
‘An American actor and filmmaker, Oscar winner Sean Penn arrived to Ukraine,’ the statement read.
‘The director specially came to Kyiv 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 a show of courage and honesty.
‘This morning the director visited the Office of the President and visited the press briefing of the advisor of the head of the Office of the Head of State Mikhail Podolâk and the Vice Prime Minister – the Minister of the Reintegration of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine Irina Vere щуuk.
Doing his best: Their conversation was muted but Zelensky, a former comedian and actor himself, wrote in a caption: ‘The more people know about the war in the Ukraine’
‘He spoke to journalists, to our military, saw how we defend our country.
‘Sean Penn demonstrates the courage that many others, especially western politicians lack.’
He then met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, who posted a video of their meeting on his Instagram account.
Their conversation was muted but Zelensky, a former comedian and actor himself, wrote in a caption: ‘The more people know about the war in the Ukraine, the higher the likelihood of stopping Russia!’
Ukraine’s president has accused Russia of war crimes after Vladimir Putin’s forces launched what were believed to be cluster and vacuum bomb attacks in an attempt to turn the tide of a conflict that they have so-far been losing.
In a late night address directed at Russia, Volodymyr said there would ‘definitely be an international tribunal’ for what he said was a ‘violation of all conventions’ and added that ‘no one in the world will forgive you for killing peaceful Ukrainian people.’ Prosecutors at The Hague say they intend to open a probe ‘as soon as possible.’
Zelensky spoke after what appeared to be a cluster bomb attack on the city of Kharkiv on Monday which killed at least 11 people and wounded scores more, and after Ukraine’s ambassador to the US accused Putin’s forces of using a banned thermobaric bomb on the capital of Kyiv overnight.
The bombardment of Kharkiv continued Tuesday morning with a rocket landing just in front of the civilian public administration building, destroying the road outside and blowing the windows out of the building itself.
Footage from inside shows the building was heavily damaged, with ceilings collapsing and rubble strewn around.
Trying: Penn previously filmed his philanthropic efforts in Haiti for a documentary called Citizen Penn, after a devastating earthquake shook the nation; seen in 2021
