Ukrainian actor Milla Jovovich is opening up about what it's like watching her home country suffer amid an invasion by Russia.
The "Resident Evil" posted a heartfelt Instagram post on Friday reflecting on the international events.
"I am heartbroken and dumbstruck trying to process the events of this week in my birthplace of Ukraine. My country and people being bombed. Friends and family in hiding. My blood and my roots come from both Russia and Ukraine," Jovovich wrote. "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.”
"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," Jovovich continued. "War. Always war. Leaders who cannot bring peace. The never ending juggernaut of imperialism. And always, the people pay in bloodshed and tears."
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine erupted on Thursday when Russian troops began to advance on the neighboring country after weeks of tension. The conflict has led more than 80,000 people to flee to Poland, and hundreds of casualties have been reported. Ukrainian citizens have shared their stories on social media amid missile strikes and other violence.
Former “Dancing With the Stars” pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy has been sharing updates about the ongoing situation on Instagram.
“I will never be the same," the Ukrainian native said in a video shared on Thursday. "This is stressful and I’m getting old feelings back, like I’ve done this before."
Singer Regina Spektor, who was born in Moscow but also has roots in Ukraine, also used social media to speak out.
“Today my heart hurts because no matter how many great works of art and music (Guernica…. Masters Of War… Most of Okudzhava and Vysotsky… Vonnegut… Remarque… all those films in all those languages…) portray the horrors of war, new Masters of War seem to rise up again in all the nations," she said, in part, on Instagram.
Athletes and other entertainers have taken a stand: After winning a semifinal match at the Dubai Tennis Championships, Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev went viral for writing ‘No war please’ on a courtside camera. Meanwhile, two Ukrainian NBA players released a joint statement calling the invasion of their homeland “a great tragedy.”
The wider entertainment world has also responded to the conflict by cutting ties with Russia and sharing messages of support for Ukraine. Russia has been banned from competing in the popular Eurovision Song Contest, and a major soccer tournament final will no longer be hosted in St. Petersburg.
Related: