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Sean Penn Says He Thought About “Fighting Russians” While He Was Pumping Gas
“If you’ve been in Ukraine, [fighting] has to cross your mind,” the actor/director said in a new interview

Sean Penn has admitted that he had pondered joining Ukrainian soldiers in order to combat Russia.
In a recent interview with Hollywood Authentic, Sean Penn said that he can’t shake the thought of returning to Ukraine and literally joining the battle against Russia. “My intention is to go back into Ukraine. But I’m not an idiot, I am not certain what I can offer,” Penn told Hollywood Authentic.
He continues regarding his visit to the nation earlier this year: “The only possible reason for me staying in Ukraine longer last time would’ve been for me to be holding a rifle, probably without body armor, because as a foreigner, you would want to give that body armor to one of the civilian fighters who doesn’t have it or to a fighter with more skills than I have, or to a younger man or woman who could fight for longer or whatever.”
“[I]f you’ve been in Ukraine [fighting] has to cross your mind. And you kind of think what century is this? Because I was at the gas station in Brentwood the other day and I’m now thinking about taking up arms against Russia? What the fuck is going on?” He added.
As an outspoken critic of Russia, Penn has previously urged the United States to “invest everything” into assisting the nation and its people, should the country lose sight of “what America hoped to be.”
Ukrainian refugees in Poland are presently being supported by the actor’s non-profit CORE (Community Organised Relief Effort), which he formed in 2010.
While Penn is not active in the day-to-day operations of the organization, which is managed by CEO and co-founder Ann Lee, he has said that his future hands-on engagement may just consist of “morale boosting because people like knowing that the founder recognizes what they’re doing.”
“I’ve got plenty to do with CORE on the receiving side of refugees in Poland,” Penn continues. “I’m shooting more for the documentary, but I’ll be doing a last-minute assessment of what value that will have.”
“Long term, we don’t have any tangible evidence that documentaries really change anything. We just don’t. We only know they can give hope.” He concludes.
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