American actor and United24 ambassador Liev Schreiber visited the site of a recent Russian strike in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, calling for strengthened air and missile defenses for Ukraine.
Schreiber toured the area following a large-scale Russian attack on the night of Aug. =19-20. The actor observed a damaged nine-story residential building located adjacent to a school and a children’s hospital.
“It’s so clearly an attack designed to hit civilians,” Schreiber said in a video recorded at the site.
The actor emphasized Ukraine’s critical need for enhanced missile defense capabilities to intercept Russian attacks, specifically appealing for a resumption of US support.
“Missile defense is essential. America used to provide that. Hopefully, we can figure out how to get that program going again,” Schreiber said, referring to systems like the Patriot.
During his visit to the capital on Aug. 21, Schreiber attended a United24 summit where President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded him the Order of Merit, 1st class, for his continued support of Ukraine.
Aug. 20 attack on Kyiv
The Solomianskyi district was heavily damaged during the combined missile and drone attack on Aug. 20, which Schreiber witnessed while sheltering in the capital.
The overnight and subsequent evening strikes killed at least 17 people and injured 42 across Kyiv. Debris struck multiple locations, including a residential building and an office building in the Holosiivskyi district.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that emergency services are still assessing the full scale of the damage. Klitschko noted that Russian attacks have damaged approximately 4,000 of Kyiv’s 12,000 buildings since the start of the full-scale war.
The capital is currently equipping shelters and seeking funding to prepare for the upcoming winter, with plans to install mobile shelters in critical locations by the end of the year.
Schreiber’s ongoing support for Ukraine
Schreiber, who has Ukrainian heritage through his grandfather, has been an active supporter of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
He has served as a United24 ambassador for the “Medical Aid” initiative since July 2022 and is a co-founder of the charitable initiative BlueCheck Ukraine.
During previous visits to Ukraine, the actor toured the destroyed towns of Bucha and Borodyanka. In 2022, Schreiber helped initiate a fundraising campaign for generators for Ukrainian hospitals, which raised approximately $3 million alongside other United24 ambassadors.
The actor is known for his roles in the “Scream” film series and “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” He also starred in US TV series “Ray Donovan.” In 2005, Schreiber made his directorial debut with the film “Everything Is Illuminated,” shot in Ukraine. The film follows Jonathan (played by Elijah Wood) whose goal is to find Augustine, the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis during World War II.