A Ukrainian actor and local mayor both died fighting for their country as Russian forces’ brutal attacks continue on day twelve of the invasion.
Pasha Lee, 33, known for his acting, presenting, and voice dubbing work, was killed in Irpin, Ukraine as the city was occupied.
Yuriy Prilipko, 61, a ‘hero’ mayor of the Gostomel village, north-west to capital Kyiv, supported his community by handing out bread and medicine to vulnerable civilians, and has been shot dead.
Pasha Lee (pictured), 33, known for his acting, presenting, and voice dubbing work, was killed in Irpin, Ukraine as the city was occupied by Russian troops
Lee (pictured) was born in Crimea and, as well as being a local presenter and actor, was known for his voice dubbing work in Lion King and the Hobbit
Both men were praised for their work supporting Ukrainians in their fight against the invasion.
Five days ago Lee posted a photo of himself in military gear, with the caption ‘LET’S UNITE’.
He also took to Instagram to share resources for helping Ukrainian refugees across the world.
His last photo, tagged in Irpen two days ago, was captioned: ‘For the last 48 hours, there is an opportunity to sit down and take a picture of how we are being bombed, and we are smiling, because we will manage.’
Sergiy Tomilenko, Chairman at the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, shared a tribute to the late actor on his Facebook page.
It read: ‘(Pasha Lee) went to fight for Ukraine from the first days of the war and died in Irpen, where there are still fierce battles with Russian occupants.
‘The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine expresses its sincere condolences to (Pasha’s) family and friends.
‘Our words of support to all the staff of the DOM channel, which embodies the noble mission of broadcasting for the deoccupation of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and Crimea.’
Yuriy Prilipko (pictured), 61, a hero mayo of the Gostomel village, north-west to capital Kyiv, was handing out bread and medicine to vulnerable civilians when he was shot dead
It added the actor’s death was confirmed by Julia Ostrovska, Head of the UATV/DOM Platform, who tearfully told the union: ‘A new season started on January 31 – a new entertainment TV program “Day at Home” was launched.
‘Among the six TV presenters, Pasha was the happiest and sunniest.’
Lee was born in Crimea and, as well as being a local presenter and actor, was known for his voice dubbing work in Lion King and the Hobbit.
Mayor Prilipko was called a ‘hero’ in a tribute post by Gostomel’s village council on social media.
It read: ‘He never refused help to anyone. No one forced him to go under the bullets of the occupiers.
Mayor Prilipko (pictured) was called a ‘hero’ in a tribute post by Gostomel’s village council on social media
‘He could, like hundreds of others, sit in the cellar.
‘And he made his choice. He died for the community, he died for Gostomel, he died as a hero.’
It comes as the invasion of Ukraine enters its twelfth day as cities were hit by fresh bombardments, with the war-torn country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky vowing that ‘God will not forgive’ and Ukraine ‘will not forget’ the slaughter of civilians by Russian, saying a ‘day of judgement’ is coming for them.
Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of ‘Forgiveness Sunday’, recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin – near Kyiv – earlier in the day. ‘We will not forgive. We will not forget,’ he told listeners.
‘We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,’ he added. ‘God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.’
