Benedict Cumberbatch promises to accommodate Ukrainian refugees

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has committed to hosting Ukrainian refugees running away from the armed conflict. On Sunday, appearing on the red carpet at the BAFTA Film Awards, Cumberbatch wore a pin with the Ukrainian flag on his black tuxedo.  

When asked by a reporter what it signified, the actor explained that it was his way of showing solidarity with Ukrainian civilians “who are being shelled and shot at, and killed and made homeless without power, without water, without food.” He said the pin was meant to show that he is standing side-by-side with his “brothers and sisters who are going through this.” 

“We all need ... to do more than wear a badge. We need to donate, we need to pressure our politicians to continue to create some kind of a refugee safety and a haven here for people who are suffering,” he said. 

“I think already today the news has broken that there’s been a record number of people volunteering to take people into their homes, and I hope to be part of that myself,” the celebrity said.

Earlier, the British government adopted a plan that would allow an unlimited number of refugees from Ukraine into the country through a new UK visa procedure. 

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How Russia’s neighbors view the war in Ukraine

The United Nations reports that nearly three million people have already fled Ukraine following the start of Russia’s military offensive in the country. 

Moscow announced its decision to take action in Ukraine after a seven-year standoff over Kiev’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics in Donetsk and Lugansk. 

The German and French-brokered protocols had been designed to regularize the status of those regions within the Ukrainian state. The Kremlin has now demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.