Sean Penn traveled on foot yesterday to the border of Ukraine and eastern Poland, where hundreds of thousands of refugees are seeking protection from the escalating Russian invasion.
Sean was in Kyiv, filming a documentary about rising tension between Ukraine and Moscow, when Russia's armed forces invaded on Thursday. Those first attacks preceded a deadly, full-scale conflict that has since intensified and threatens to displace millions of Ukrainian residents.
In a tweet shared last night, Sean said he and two colleagues "walked miles to the Polish border after abandoning [their] car on the side of the road" en route to one one of the crossing points.
"Almost all the cars in this photo carry women and children only, most without any sign of luggage, and a car their only possession of value," he wrote, referencing the long line of vehicles seen in his tweet's accompanying photo.
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.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated over half a million people had fled Ukraine to neighboring countries as of this morning.
More than 300,000 escaped to Poland, but a severe backlog meant that many waited for extended periods of time in extreme weather before gaining entry.
While some people praised Sean for raising awareness about the conflict in Ukraine and its consequences, others responded to his latest social media post with criticism.
"With your millions of dollars you could bring all Ukrainian mothers, babies, and elderly to safety of Polish border. Do it!!," one Twitter user said.
With your millions of dollars you could bring all Ukrainian mothers, babies and elderly to safety of Polish border. Do it!! call some of your pampered Hollywood friends, maybe instead of "therapy" trying to fill the void of their souls- they can start living by REAL HELP!!! https://t.co/IbgimnE4Tc
"Ladies and gentlemen, Sean Penn ... walking to the Polish border on foot … while the rest of us are trying to figure out ways to get our elderly parents out of Ukraine," another wrote.
Ladies and gentlemen, Sean Penn @SeanPenn - walking to the Polish border on foot… 👇while the rest of us are trying to figure out ways to get our elderly parents out of Ukraine. https://t.co/rEBI0XDt9R
Konrad Werner, a philosopher and university professor based in Warsaw, also noted that "Polish border patrol, not to mention the Ukrainians back in Kiev, hardly have time and additional resources to keep a Hollywood superstar safe in a war zone."
I really like Sean Penn, I do, but the Polish border patrol, not to mention the Ukrainians back in Kiev, hardly have time and additional resources to keep a Hollywood superstar safe in a war zone, so...😵💫🥴 https://t.co/ABGEPPP8RJ