Ukrainian actor Pasha Lee killed in Russian shelling

The 33-year-old shared a picture encouraging social media followers to join army

Ukrainian actor and TV host Pasha Lee. Photo: @pashaleeofficial/Instagram

Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

Popular Ukrainian actor Pasha Lee, 33, has been killed in a town near Kyiv that has come under heavy Russian shelling.

Lee joined Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces last week to defend his country in the Russia-Ukraine war.

He was killed on Sunday during Russian shelling in the town north-west of Kyiv.

Lee’s death was announced by Ukraine’s Odesa International Film Festival on Facebook.

His death came as four civilians, including a family of three, were killed in the same city as they tried to flee the Russian bombardment.

In his last post on Instagram, Lee was wearing a military uniform.

"For the last 48 hours, there is an opportunity to sit down and take a picture of how we are being bombed, and we are smiling because we will manage and everything will be UKRAINE, WE ARE WORKING!” he said.

In another post, he called on Ukrainians to join him in the war.

The actor, who was also a singer and TV host, did voiceover work for Ukrainian versions of movies, including The Hobbit and The Lion King.

Fighting continued in Ukraine on Tuesday after Russian forces bombarded Ukrainian cities overnight.

Ukrainian intelligence said the Russian offensive was slowing and a second Russian general had been killed.

Russia said safe corridors to allow Ukrainian civilians to escape the war could open on Tuesday, evoking scepticism from Ukrainian leaders as previous efforts to establish evacuation routes crumbled over the weekend.

In Irpin, residents ran with their children in strollers, or cradling babies in arms, while others carried pet carriers, plastic bags and suitcases.