Once a home to her family, Momina Mustehsan stands for Ukraine with artists from around the world

Celebrities from around the world have been reacting to the escalating crisis in eastern Europe since Russia announced a “full-scale invasion” of Ukraine on Thursday, February 24. Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a “special military operation” in the east of the country and explosions were reported shortly after his speech in the outskirts of Kharkiv, Kramatorsk, Mariupol, and the capital Kiev.

Hashtags like #RussiaUkraineConflict, #WorldWar3, #StockMarketCrash, #StopWar and #Taiwan have been trending on Twitter ever since. Russia’s decision is being met with condemnation from world leaders and global celebrities alike. Local public figures have also taken to their social media handles to call for world peace and stand in support of Ukraine.

Pakistani artists call for peace

Author, activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai called for Russia to stop attacking Ukrain immediately. “History tells us that wars cause irreversible and unimaginable loss. Civilians are killed; homes, schools and places of worship destroyed. People need peace, stability and dignity more than anything else. Russia must stop the attack on Ukraine immediately,” she tweeted early Friday.

Singer Momina Mustehsan, whose family was once settled in Kyiv for nearly half a decade, chimed in rather emotionally, “For nearly half a decade, my family called Kyiv home,” she tweeted. “The people of Ukraine have every right to their sovereignty, without unprovoked aggression from their neighbours. Praying for all human lives and hoping for better sense to prevail. War is never the answer.”

Armeena Khan wrote, “There is a war brewing, needless loss of life. My prayers are with the vulnerable.” While actor Ushna Shah lamented, “Heartbroken to hear about Ukraine, praying for everyone’s safety.” And before netizens could jump at her for assumed ‘selective activism’, she clarified, “And before you get at me, I am heartbroken for Kashmiris, Palestinians, Syrians, Uyghur [Muslims] too. I tweet about them all the time.”

Actor Kubra Khan and singer Azaan Sami Khan expressed solidarity with Ukraine in their Instagram Stories. While actor Osama Tahir urged netizens to realise that war is not something to be joked about. Actor Nadia Jamil shared a quote from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in regards to Russia's invasion while host Anoushey Ashraf called for an end to the ‘bombing’. She wrote in an Insta Story, “Stop bombing Ukraine. And while we’re at it, let’s stop doing the same in Palestine, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kashmir, etcetera. I guess Putin is only doing what others have been doing for far too long.”

Global stars chip in

Hollywood's Angelina Jolie — a UNHCR special envoy — shared a message on her Instagram highlighting the efforts being made to protect those displaced during the conflict. "Like many of you, I’m praying for the people in Ukraine," she said. "My focus along with my UNHCR colleagues is that everything possible is done to ensure the protection and basic human rights of those displaced, and refugees in the region."

Author Stephen King, in a widely-shared post on Twitter, wrote, “What most of us learned as kids on the playground: You don’t stand by while a big kid beats up a little kid. You might take a punch or two making the big kid stop but that’s the right thing to do.”

Rapper Cardi B tweeted, “Wish these world leaders [would] stop tripping about power and really think about who's really getting affected (citizens) besides the whole world is in a crisis. War, sanctions, invasions should be the last thing these leaders should worry about.”

Former Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan called Putin a “bully-boy thug” who thinks “the rest of the world doesn’t have the guts or will to stop him.” Moscow-born Grammy-nominated singer Regina Spektor condemned Putin’s actions in an Instagram post featuring a picture of her younger self in USSR on the “day WWII ended for us.” The 42-year-old wrote: “There were, and still are, real Nazis in the world. But in Ukraine that are just millions of civilians being pulled into a war and in Russia there are children being sent to fight and die for no reason other than the bottomless and horror filled ‘more more more’ of politicians and corporations. And it’s terrifying…”

Professional wrestler and actor John Cena, on the contrary, drew ire for apparently using the emerging war to promote his HBO series Peacemaker. In a tweet on Thursday, Cena’s reaction to the escalating crisis read: “If I could somehow summon the powers of a real life #Peacemaker, I think this would be a great time to do so.” His post included a sponsored hashtag for the HBO Max series, in which he stars as the titular DC Comics superhero.

Indian writer, director and producer Farhan Akhtar also tweeted: “Thoughts with Ukraine, may better sense prevail and peace be restored as soon as possible.” Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, who is a global goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, shared on Instagram: "The situation unfolding in Ukraine is terrifying. Innocent people living in fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones, while trying to navigate the uncertainty of the immediate future," she posted.

Indian screenwriter Javed Akhtar, on the other hand, asked why the western powers are “indifferent” towards a “smaller” country like Yemen. “If the Russian-Ukrainian conflict evokes a sense of fairness and justice, a humane desire to protect the weaker in them, why all of the western powers are totally indifferent towards Saudi carpet bombings and atrocities on a small country like Yemen?”

Ukrainian artists call out ‘aggressor’ Russia

Ukrainian artists, on the other hand, have identified the Russian state as an aggressor, as per DW, and their wave of anger can hardly be contained. "At last, Putin's true intentions lie clear and open," conductor Oksana Lyniv told the German outlet. "He wants to destroy an independent state, a nation with its own culture, language, history, artists and identity. Our development as a European state, for which we have worked for 30 years since independence, is in acute danger.”

Poet and writer Serhij Zhadan, added, “While I am glad that some Russian artists have taken a clear position, their voices have no chance of being heard. I have many longtime friends, including artists and writers who actually believe that Ukraine wants to attack Russia and the like — that's where the Putin propaganda has already had its effect."

Filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa chimed in: "For eight years, the Russian Federation has waged war against Ukraine. For eight years, Western Europe tried to ignore this war, continued to cooperate with and support the aggressor. Now, if there is no tough reaction from the EU and NATO countries, it will end badly for everyone.”

While Katya Petrovskaya said, “We are dealing with a tyrant who earns from war — that is his source of money, his 'business model.' This has to stop." Writer Andrei Kurkov asked, “Where are the voices of artists from France, Germany, the US?”

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