Ukraine

Ukraine is in a chess match with Putin's army -- but some of the brave men on the ground are playing a different game ... and they have some interesting board pieces.

Check out these photos of Ukrainian soldiers locked in on a round of checkers -- but instead of red and black chips like you might normally see ... they got Molotov cocktails out! Unclear how they're distinguishing between bottles -- but if you look closely, it seems some of the caps might be different colors.

Kinda surreal to see, especially knowing that they're putting these weapons to use beyond just a game.

Of course ... we've seen ordinary citizens using these puppies to fight back against Russian forces, with local businesses (like breweries and whatnot) creating these on the fly and getting them out to the public for defense.

Indeed, the government has given folks there the greenlight to chuck the cocktails as they see fit -- and after the way the Russian army has been targeting civilians lately ... you can understand why they'd let 'em fly.

Looks like the Ukrainian soldiers have a fair amount themselves ... and until they're needed for flinging in battle, would appear they're putting them to good use elsewhere.

Ukrainian Anastasiia Laletina pulled out of a major event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games on Tuesday ... after an official says her father was captured by Russian troops back home.

Team spokeswoman Natalia Harach said the 19-year-old's dad -- a soldier in the Ukrainian army -- was taken and beaten ... and Laletina was so understandably shaken up over it all, she withdrew from the middle distance sitting para biathlon.

Harach added Laletina, a nordic skier, did receive care from a team doctor after she learned of the horrifying news.

"She was very upset," Harach told media members Tuesday, "and couldn't take part in the race."

Laletina is still scheduled, for now, to compete in another skiing race at the Games. It's unclear what the status is of her father at the moment.

Ukraine has sent over nearly two dozen athletes to compete in the Games despite the ongoing conflict with Russia ... and the competitors have found big success.

"FBOY Island" star Garrett Morosky says his passport showing Russia as his birthplace just got his butt detained in a Mexican airport ... while trying to return to the United States.

We got the Netflix reality show star at Tocaya in WeHo and he told us he had all sorts of problems crossing the border ... an ordeal he's chalking up to his quirky passport and the Ukraine-Russia war.

Garrett says he was all set to board a flight from Mexico to Los Angeles this month when he was suddenly yanked out of line and detained ... with Mexican officials asking him all sorts of questions and even taking off his pants during a search.

Garrett has a U.S. passport, but he was actually born in Russia ... which is on his travel documents. "FBOY Island" fans will recall, Garrett was on a date with Sarah Emig when he told her he was adopted from Russia.

Given the increased tension between the U.S. and Russia -- due to the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent U.S. sanctions -- Garrett says he was scared he might not be allowed back into the U.S.

Ultimately, he was released and allowed to board a flight to L.A., but he says it was an eye-opening experience.

UFC fighter Maryna Moroz has been on a roller coaster of emotions -- the Ukrainian fighter got a huge win at UFC 272, but tells TMZ Sports she's terrified for her family's safety as war rages in her home country.

"A lot of emotions because after 24 hours, I didn't sleep. I tried to answer everybody for my fans, for my family, for my friends. So back in Florida, a little bit of rest, try to stay more calm but still have emotions like crazy, but happy," Moroz says.

But, despite feeling good about the hard-earned 2nd round submission win over Mariya Agapova, Maryna's still very worried about her relatives in Ukraine.

"My family is okay but I know many of my friends, like, I know this guy died. It was so sad, but for me, it's very important to save my family right now. I don't want somebody to come touch my family. It's still nervous, still scary to me, I'm scared right now, but I try to be strong."

Even though Moroz was on the undercard, her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan got a lot of attention after Maryna talked about the emotions she dealt with leading up to fight night.

In spite of the terrible situation facing her loved ones on the ground in Ukraine, she says her family is thrilled for her success.

We've seen buildings getting blown to bits from the outside looking in as Russia continues to invade Ukraine -- but here's a peak at the horror from behind closed doors.

This goes without saying ... but it doesn't go without showing. These are photos from inside homes and businesses hit by mortar and missiles throughout the besieged country -- and as you can see, it's utter devastation.

One shot appears to show a gym that's been decimated ... equipment destroyed and scattered about ... totally covered in ash and soot.

There's even some fires that are still going as a result of whatever attack this edifice endured -- again ... just giving you a sense of how bad the property damage is on the ground.

The same can be said for individual people's homes ... which are being turned upside down amid the conflict, with drawers being blown out ... and personal items and debris thrown every which way indoors. Those who are still around are trying to pick up the pieces.

Of course, this is to be expected considering the types of weaponry being unleashed onto the Ukrainian people at the hands of the Russians -- specifically, under the orders of Vladimir Putin. You hear about this stuff, but seeing it is a whole other story.

Hoda Kotb has a hard time viewing devastating images of Ukrainian children and families fleeing the war -- she calls it "disturbing" -- but feels it's important the world sees it.

We got Hoda Monday outside NBC Studios, and she shared her emotional response to the gut-wrenching images coming out of Ukraine as Russia's gruesome attacks continue.

This harrowing video of a young boy alone and crying is a painful reality for most children throughout the country ... as they are left to fend for themselves.

The 'Today Show' co-anchor tells us it is especially heartbreaking to see photos from an orphanage, being a mom herself. Hoda adopted her first daughter, Haley, back in 2017 and her second, Hope, in 2019.

She says every mom can look at what's happening and think it "could be any of us at any time."

Philanthropist Bethenny Frankel's effort to help displaced Ukrainians is raising huge amounts of money, and now she's focused on finding ways to distribute the aid, quickly and safely.

Bethenny was on TMZ Live Monday with a huge update -- her Bstrong initiative (in-partnership with Global Empowerment Mission) has received $25 million worth of aid donations and supplies, with another $10M given in cash ... and the total is still climbing!

She says the supplies are going to an undisclosed location in Ukraine -- kept under wraps for safety concerns -- and they're also operating out of massive warehouses in Poland and Hungary. The goal is to use these hubs for those in need and have them serve as a space for organizations to pick up supplies as needed.

She also tells us the $10M in cash will go towards refugee relocation ... saying it's not about keeping Ukrainians happy in their own country anymore. She says the goal is to get them out safely, which will be more accessible with the money raised.

Bethenny's 11-year-old daughter Bryn has been helping out too ... making artwork to raise some cash for the cause! She made an exclusive set of paintings depicting the Ukrainian flag, and NY Mets owner Steve Cohen bought 5 of 'em right off the bat!

Senator Lindsey Graham caught some heat for suggesting someone needed to assassinate Vladimir Putin to end this Russia-Ukraine conflict ... and now, he's doubling down.

We got LG Monday at Reagan National Airport in D.C., and asked him to respond to the backlash he received last week after floating the possibility of Russians taking Putin out.

The basis of the criticism ... such talk is dangerous, and certainly not something a U.S. public official should be spewing -- even if it is something that's been on folks' minds.

Well ... Sen. Graham not only stands by what he said, but expands a bit on the subject -- saying just about everybody in the world sees what the Russian president is doing, and can clearly see the guy's a war criminal who must be stopped.

Graham notes Putin's been getting away with atrocities for years -- so, yes, he doesn't see anything wrong with musing about the possibility of his own people removing the man ... one way or another.

Our photog took the opportunity to ask about WNBA star Brittney Griner, who's being detained by Russian authorities on a drug charge.

The exodus from Ukraine is heartbreaking on so many levels -- more than a million-and-a-half people fleeing their homeland as Putin viciously bombs civilian and other targets.

The struggle to leave is especially hard on the elderly ... but their fellow Ukrainians are doing everything in their power to help them with safe passage.

These images are extremely compelling and powerful, and underscore the humanity within the borders of Ukraine.

Elderly citizens are crossing the border in wheelchairs, walkers and whatever other means that are available. As harrowing as it seems -- literally using wheelbarrows to get the infirmed out of harm's way -- it's necessary and it's working.

Seeing soldiers and civilians carry some of the elderly on piggy-back is as inspiring as it is desperate.

Russia might have an enemy on its hands that's more effective than any other adversary, and that's Anonymous ... which claims to have hijacked Vladimir Putin's regularly scheduled propaganda programming.

The notorious hacking group -- which has been involved in high-profile leaks over the years -- is taking responsibility for the mass disruption of multiple Russian TV broadcasts this weekend ... including a couple of popular streaming services and even some state media channels.

Instead of whatever several news networks were supposed to be playing ... reports and videos on the ground appear to show Anonymous aired real war footage from Ukraine. That's significant because most Russians don't even believe there's a war, or don't see it as Russian aggression.

The hacking would mean Putin's citizens got to see real footage of Ukrainian civilians bombed and forced to flee their homes.

Reportedly, 70 percent of Russians support the invasion of Ukraine, but Russian-run TV has been blasting out the narrative that their country is fighting Nazism and saving Ukraine.

So, to disrupt that thinking ... Anonymous seems to have taken the incredible step of showing them what they're definitely not being exposed to, and hopefully it's a wake-up call. Even if it is though ... Russians face stiff penalties for protesting the war, including years of jail time.

Anonymous sent a message to Putin in late February threatening action like this, and the group claims it's followed through.

Ukrainian actor Pasha Lee was killed while fighting off Russian forces -- having gone from entertainer to soldier who put himself on the front lines in the battle for his country.

Lee died while serving in the Ukrainian army this weekend, falling at the hands of Russian occupiers who were bombarding the city of Irpin with mortar shells -- this according to the Odesa International Film Festival, which broke the news about his passing.

They memorialized him by listing his film credentials, including roles in "Shtolnya," "Shadows of Unforgotten Ancestors," "Zvychayna Sprava," "The Fight Rules," "Meeting of Classmates" and more.

He's also done commercial and TV work, as well as voice acting -- and not just that ... but the dude was apparently known as a composer and theater actor too.

The OIFF wrote, "We call on the world community to help Ukraine in the fight against Russia and stop the war. We urge you to close the sky over Ukraine immediately and continue to boycott Russian cinema."

Unclear when he joined the Ukrainian armed forces -- but Lee is reported to have served in a territorial defense unit ... which apparently saw action in Irpin, an area that was under siege all weekend long -- as many saw first-hand in brutal fashion.

Ukrainian actress Anastasiya Kasilova -- one of his fellow costars -- mourned his death by taking to social media and writing ... "Pasha Li killed during the shelling in Irpen, defending Ukraine. He is an actor, TV presenter, my colleague and a good acquaintance… Not so long ago we shot together in a teaser for a children's film…Never forgive!"

He was 33.

Queen Elizabeth seems to have bounced back from COVID ... because she hosted Justin Trudeau for her first in-person engagement since beating the virus.

The Queen seemed in good spirits as she welcomed the Canadian PM with a smile Monday at Windsor Castle.

The two shook hands and shared a warm embrace. He's in the UK to meet with PM Boris Johnson, Netherlands PM Mark Rutte and other allies to talk about the war in Ukraine.

The queen and Trudeau have known each other since he was a child and his dad served as the Canadian PM ... so it make sense he would stop to see the longest reigning monarch.

The 95-year-old monarch tested positive for Covid-19 back in February. Her symptoms were mild ... and she even performed light duties as the virus ran its course.

BTW, Queen Elizabeth moved to Windsor Castle at the start of the pandemic, back in 2020. Originally, she lived about an hour away in Buckingham Palace and visited the castle for weekend getaways. But, now she'll likely live permanently at the castle.

Sean Penn gets choked up remembering his face-to-face meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as war erupted ... and as Russia's invasion intensifies, he's commending Zelensky's bravery.

Speaking out for the first time since leaving war-torn Ukraine, Penn told CNN's Anderson Cooper he couldn't help but praise Zelensky for all he's doing to protect his people. He said, "I don't know if he knew that he was born for this, but it was clear I was in the presence of something ... that was new to the modern world in terms of courage and dignity and love that comes out of that man."

Penn says he met Ukraine's president before the invasion, and then again on the day it started -- amid the chaos and uncertainty, he says Zelensky showed nothing but courage ... which Penn says is also evident in all Ukrainians.

He described his escape to the Polish border as pure terror -- seeing thousands of families fleeing for their lives while the men were forced to stay behind and defend their country ... as the Russian shelling began.

Reports of civilian casualties in Ukraine are piling up, and now ... video footage appears to back up claims that Putin's Russian army is killing anybody and everybody it come across.

This clip was reportedly shot Sunday morning as Ukrainians were attempting to evacuate ordinary citizens out of the city of Iprin, just outside of Kyiv ... when, all of a sudden, they were fired upon by explosive shelling near an exit route along a bridge there.

You can see what appears to a Ukrainian soldier standing near some barricades, talking to people hiding behind a building not too far from him. You can also see some people shuffling along in the open streets behind him.

All seems calm, until seconds later ... when when what appears to be a mortar shell and/or a missile flies past him and explodes mere feet away, sending the man flying back.

Moments later, you can see a few bodies laid out in the distance with others rushing over to attend to them, calling for a medic. According to the NYT, at least 4 people were killed in this specific incident ... including civilians.

The place is being torn to shreds, and it looks like the Russians aren't letting anyone escape with ease -- especially if they're firing shell after shell toward the evacuation process ... and killing whoever may be unfortunate enough to be in their path.

Frankly, this is just a fraction of the footage that's out there showing civilians being targeted by the Russians ... so, it's clear they're not discriminating as they continue to invade.

The question that then poses is ... what is the U.S. going to do about it, if anything???

That was asked of Sec. of State Anthony Blinken by CNN's Jake Tapper this weekend -- and while Blinken acknowledged U.S. officials had, in fact, seen credible reports of civilians being wiped out such as in the instance depicted here ... all he said is they were documenting it.

Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally made sure to get a dig in against Vladimir Putin during the Spirit Awards this weekend -- using not just their words ... but their digits too.

The husband and wife duo are cohosting Sunday's award show, and toward the top of the show ... they sent out a message of solidarity, sending everyone there on the ground their best wishes.

Mullaly then added, "I think we speak for everyone here when we say we are hoping for a quick and peaceful resolution. Specifically, f*** off and go home Putin."

NO followed up by saying, "We hope Putin f**** off and goes home and to that end let’s all join together with a Spirit Awards salute to Putin" -- and then threw up his middle finger to the camera ... with MM following suit.

It looks like some audience members did the same, including Kristen Stewart ... who was caught on camera doing the same when the shot cut to her in her seat.

Unfortunately, a video clip of the awesome moment doesn't seem to exist online -- IFC is carrying the broadcast, and they didn't post it as a standalone segment. Still, it's encouraging to see Hollywood has Ukraine at their forefront of their minds as awards season carries on.

Brittney Griner's wife is breaking her silence since news broke about the WNBA star being detained in Russia -- and her first message is one of gratitude.

Cherelle Griner hopped on IG Sunday to post a photo of herself with BG, adding a caption that read ... "Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wife’s safe return from Russia. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life."

She adds, "I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely."

As you know ... Brittney is in Russian custody at the moment, and apparently has been for a good while now -- since at least February when she was busted on suspicion of a drug charge.

She's alleged to have had vape cartridges in her bag while traveling through an airport -- and the Russian authorities even released video capturing the moment they searched her stuff.