Ukraine places actor from Oscar-winning film on ‘kill list’

A Russian actor who starred in Oscar-winning film 'Anora’ has been listed on the notorious Ukrainian state-linked Mirotvorets (Peacemaker) database. Mark Eydelshteyn has been accused of attacking “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”

The controversial database lists individuals who supposedly pose a threat to Ukrainian national security, and has been branded a ‘kill list’ due to the number of people featured on it who have died under suspicious circumstances.

Eydelshteyn, 23, was listed for a supposed attack on Ukraine’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity” and “repeated deliberate violation of the state border of Ukraine” by visiting Crimea, which joined Russia in 2014.

According to Russian media, the accusation may stem from Eydelshteyn’s participation in the movie ‘The Land of Sasha’, released in 2022, which was shot on the peninsula.

The movie, where Eydelshteyn played the lead role, propelled the actor to international prominence after premiering at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival in 2022.

Last year, Eydelshteyn starred as Ivan ‘Vanya’ Zakharov in US director Sean Baker's film 'Anora', a performance that contributed to the movie's critical acclaim, including winning the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival and securing five Oscars at the 97th Academy Awards in March.

Created in 2014, Mirotvorets was initially backed by Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian interior minister, and has partnered with the nation’s security services.

While the moderators of the website claim it is merely a list of individuals considered enemies of Ukraine, the state-linked site has become known as a ‘kill list’ after several people on it died under suspicious circumstances, often attributed to Ukrainian intelligence.

Mirotvorets claims that it operates in accordance with the laws of Ukraine and international legal norms. However, its front page features calls to kill Russians and displays graphic images of deceased soldiers alleged to be Russian.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has described the extremist site as effectively a hit list of those Kiev wants to “eliminate.”

The list has included US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and prominent American journalist Tucker Carlson.