Sean Penn Arrives in Ukraine amid Russian Invasion to Film Documentary

Sean Penn is on the ground in Ukraine to capture events for an upcoming documentary.

The 61-year-old actor was photographed attending a press briefing, as the Office of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told Newsweek in a statement Thursday that he arrived the country's capital Kyiv to work on a film.

"The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our country. Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty," read the statement, per Newsweek.

"Sean Penn is demonstrating bravery that many others have been lacking, in particular some Western politicians," the statement added. "The more people like that — true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom — the quicker we can stop this heinous invasion by Russia."

A rep for Penn did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The documentary is a Vice Studios production in association with Vice World News and Endeavor Content, according to Variety.

In November, Penn was photographed in a helmet in protective gear while meeting with Ukrainian troops on the frontlines for the documentary, according to Business Insider.

Russia began an invasion of Ukraine earlier this week, according to the Ukraine government, with forces moving from the north, east and south. The attack is still-evolving but explosions and airstrikes have been reported, with threats mounting against the capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million people.

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Numerous residents have been seen trying to flee. "We are facing a war and horror. What could be worse?" one 64-year-old woman living in Kyiv told the Associated Press.

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President Vladimir Putin's aggression toward Ukraine has been widely condemned by the international community, including with economic sanctions and NATO troops massing in the region. Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the interest of so-called "peacekeeping."

"The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces," President Biden said as the invasion appeared to begin in force this week.

Oscar winner Penn is a founder of CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), which aids in humanitarian efforts, and he starred in a recent Discovery+ documentary about how he helped to organize relief efforts for Haiti in the wake of a devastating earthquake in 2010. He said in that doc, titled Citizen Penn, "I don't fancy myself a good-doer or a bad-doer. I'm just a guy who says, 'Okay, I think I can do this. I think I can do some good here.' And that's it."

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.