‘Proud Ukrainian’ Mila Kunis and husband Ashton Kutcher vow to match refugee donations of $3m

‘Today, I have never been more proud to be a Ukrainian,’ Kunis said

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have said they will match donations of $3m (£2.3m) to help aide Ukrainian refugees.

Kunis, who was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, said in a video posted to her Instagram page: “The events that have unfolded in Ukraine are devastating. There is no place in this world for this kind of unjust attack on humanity”.

“I have always considered myself an American, a proud American. I love everything this country has done for myself and my family. But today, I have never been more proud to be a Ukrainian.”

Kutcher, who is Kunis’s husband, added: “While we witness the bravery of the people in the country she was born in, we’re also witness to the needs of those who have chosen safety.”

The couple said they would match donations made to rental company AirBnB and freight transporter Flexport, with the aim of raising $33m (£22.5m).

Just three hours after going live, the page had raised more than $2.5m thanks to an offline donation from the Ron Conway Family.

Kunis said: “The people of Ukraine are strong and brave but being strong and brave doesn’t mean you’re not worthy of support. We need to support the people of Ukraine.”

On Sunday (27 February), Vladimir Putin placed Russia’s nuclear deterrence forces on high alert, citing aggressive statements by Nato leaders and economic sanctions against Moscow.

In the most recent update, a series of large explosions were heard in Kyiv on Wednesday (2 March) as Russia continues its bombardment of cities across Ukraine.

This comes as Russian troops appeared to have taken “complete control” of Kherson, the first major city to be captured during Putin’s war.

Follow the latest updates about the Russian invasion of Ukraine here.

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.