Ukraine

Ukraine is on the edge of a nuclear meltdown after Russian forces attacked the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe ... sending flames into the night sky, and raising fears of another Chernobyl.

Ukrainian officials insist the Zaporizhzhia plant outside the city of Enerhodar is stable ... for now. They say reactor No. 1 was damaged, but personnel have been able to keep it operating safely. Radiation levels in the area are not at dangerous levels.

But, President Zelensky is making it crystal clear his country barely avoided total disaster. During a speech Friday he called the attack on the nuclear plant "a terror of a new level."

He also addressed citizens of Russia ... reminding them their countries were united in 1986 when the Chernobyl plant melted down in the world's biggest nuclear disaster.

Zelensky is urging Russians to demand an end to the war, because he accurately points out ... if a nuclear plant goes up in Ukraine ... the radiation won't stop at the border.

Michael Rapaport is commending President Zelensky for his bravery ... giving his seal of approval to a fellow Jewish man and comedian.

We got Michael in NYC on Thursday, and he had nothing but praise for the Ukrainian President -- who Rapaport believes has been a great leader through such uncertain times.

Michael tells us "[Zelensky]'s been vocal, he's been emotional ... it's been inspiring to me as a Jewish man."

As for how he'd handle a situation similar to Zelensky, Rapaport jokes he'd simply call the guy for help.

Of course, Zelensky was a very famous comedian and actor in Ukraine before becoming President, a role Rapaport believes he should keep -- because he's excelling -- and leave the entertainment biz behind.

Ukrainian tennis star Sergiy Stakhovsky is back in Ukraine, voluntarily returning to defend his homeland against Russia -- and his second mission is making his wife understand why he's chosen to do the first.

Sergiy was in Kyiv Thursday when he joined us on "TMZ Live" ... and explained the extremely difficult decision he's made to leave his wife and 3 young kids -- ages 3, 6 and 7 -- in Hungary while he takes up arms in Ukraine.

As you can imagine, telling his wife he was leaving safety to go to the middle of his war-torn country was not easy ... and you can hear the agony in Sergiy's voice.

Sergiy says his wife was mad when he told her he was going back to Ukraine ... but he understood there would be no way she could understand.

He says things were initially extremely icy between them, but they are communicating again, and now he's just hoping he'll be able to ask for her forgiveness one day ... in person.

You wanna talk about being torn in separate directions -- Sergiy tells us he's not sure he made the right choice in joining Ukraine's reserve army, but at the same time he says staying home with his family in Hungary wouldn't be the right choice either.

This is just a few powerful moments of our conversation with him -- but Sergiy also told us how he and other Ukrainians are feeling about the possibility of a ceasefire, and about Vladimir Putin.

WWE is taking a stand against Russia -- Vince McMahon's organization just announced it is cutting all ties to the country amid the invasion of Ukraine.

WWE made the move official on Thursday ... saying its programs will no longer be shown on Russian broadcast partner Match as a response to Vladimir Putin's decision to attack Ukraine.

"WWE has terminated its partnership with Russian broadcaster Match and shut down WWE Network in Russia effective immediately," the company said in a statement.

The decision to end the business relationship with Match is a major loss for the Russian company ... as it will no longer have access to any of the promotion's weekly programming -- including Raw, Smackdown, NXT shows, and WWE's on-demand library.

The move also means WrestleMania 38 -- the Super Bowl of wrestling -- will not air in Russia ... which is set to take place in Dallas this year on April 2 and 3.

WWE has a huge following in Russia ... but it's clear Vince wanted to send a message.

The New Orleans Pelicans showed their support for Ukraine on Wednesday -- donning all yellow socks during their game against the Sacramento Kings to raise awareness.

Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and the rest of the squad showed up to their homecourt in New Orleans with the socks on ... and said afterward it was all in an effort to show solidarity with the country as it's in the throes of war with Russia.

"It's tough to talk about that topic," said Jonas Valanciunas, who is from Lithuania. "It's a big mess. We're just trying to bring more attention."

"The enemy still out there," JV added. "Innocent people still dying. The whole world talking about sanctions, support, prayers, but something else has to be done because the war is still going on."

He continued, "Attention has to be brought to Ukraine people."

The socks ended up being good luck for the Pelicans ... as they won the game 125 to 95. Valanciunas scored 17 in the contest and added 14 rebounds.

Russian billionaire Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has announced he's selling his beloved soccer team ... and, in a surprising move, he said he'll donate all of the proceeds to victims of the war in Ukraine.

The soccer club's boss explained his decision in a statement Wednesday ... saying he believes unloading the team is in "the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club's sponsors and partners."

In his statement, Abramovich said the net dollars from the sale will go to Ukrainian relief efforts ... adding he hopes the funds will help war victims as well as "the long-term work of recovery."

The news comes on the heels of Abramovich -- an oligarch --  reportedly being pressured to sell the team due to his rumored ties to Vladimir Putin.

The oligarch has been friendly with the Russian leader for years ... and with many pushing for sanctions for those who might have the ear of Putin, some believed Abramovich's soccer club was on the verge of being seized.

Experts expect Chelsea FC to sell for around $3 billion ... and given that Abramovich bought the team in 2003 for around $200 million, hundreds of millions of dollars could soon be on the way to Ukraine.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy has made it to safety in the United States after fleeing war-torn Ukraine ... and he just reunited with his wife at the airport.

Check out this emotional video of the "Dancing With The Stars" alumni Wednesday at LAX ... you can see he's happy to see his better half, Peta Murgatroyd, after a harrowing experience in Europe ... and they share a long embrace and kiss.

Maksim is clearly impacted by what he witnessed in the middle of war ... and he says he's just trying to process all that just happened in Kyiv, where bombs are exploding.

It's scary ... Maksim says when he was in Ukraine he was told to get a gun and watch YouTube videos on how to use an AK-47 ... but he says he opted to document everything for the world to see, using his iPhone as a weapon instead of a firearm.

Maksim's also got some strong words for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin ... wishing him a similar fate as Adolf Hitler.

It's the culmination of a long journey for Maksim as he flees his native Ukraine and the Russian invasion devastating his countrymen.

Maksim, who lived in Ukraine until he was 14 and then recently returned to Kyiv to work on a dance competition show, documented much of the daring journey on social media ... first sharing a video of him on a balcony in the capital while sirens blared around him.

Stuck in Kyiv as Russian forces surrounded the city, Maksim spent time in a bomb shelter before boarding a train bound for Poland. The train ended up being packed to the gills, and during the journey to Warsaw he says he witnessed a boy say goodbye to his dad.

About 16 hours ago, Maksim boarded a plane from Poland ... and now he's reached safety in the USA.

"Keep fighting boys! Never surrender!"

That's heavyweight champion Tyson Fury addressing Vladimir Putin's Russian invasion of Ukraine ... voicing support for star boxers like Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk.

TMZ Sports talked to the 33-year-old boxing superstar about the unprovoked war ... and the "Gypsy King" even said if the fight came to the US or UK, he'd be right there, gun in hand.

"Two laws, love your woman and fight for your country. So they should be fighting for their country. Why not? If the war comes to the United States or United Kingdom, then I'll be joining. Don't worry about that. We all will! Why ain't we gonna defend our own land? C'mon, behave yourself."

Some people have been surprised the boxers -- who are all famous and wealthy -- have put themselves at great risk of harm or death by fighting Putin's forces.

But, Tyson makes a great point to rebut the notion the boxers are risking too much by fighting alongside the military.

"What's money got to do with it? You got no homeland to go back to, all the money in the world's no good to you. You can't spend it."

We also talked about more optimistic topics ... like Fury's return to the ring!

Of course, Tyson is just a few months removed from his trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder. The first fight was a draw ... and TF won the last 2 bouts by knockout.

Now, Fury is set to take on fellow UK star, Dillian Whyte on April 23 at Wembley Stadium in London.

Helen Mirren thinks the internet is jumping the gun over a possible film based on the war in Ukraine ... saying it's way too premature, because we don't know how the story ends.

We got Helen at LAX on Wednesday ...  and talked to her about the prospects of a film about Ukrainian President Zelensky and his bravery during the Russian invasion.

"Culture always responds to what is happening in the world," she tells TMZ. "The end of that story, we don't know yet, clearly."

Helen also weighed in on Jeremy Renner playing Zelensky -- it's making the rounds on social while she says she's not the one to make that call, she notes Renner is quite the actor -- more than capable for the challenge.

Helen mirrors the sentiment of her fellow actors -- supports Ukraine and the artists that have been affected by the conflict.

Jon Stewart is blown away by what he's seeing in Ukraine ... first by Volodymyr Zelensky's remarkable leadership, and second by seeing war play out in real-time on social media.

We got the former 'Daily Show' host Wednesday on Capitol Hill and asked him about the Russian invasion and what he's seeing from his fellow comic, who is now leading Ukraine.

Jon says comedians are usually not the most courageous bunch  ... which is what makes Zelensky's strong leadership in the face of the massive Russian army so impressive.

The Russians have the military advantage, at least on paper, and are bombing the crap out of Ukraine ... and Jon says it's remarkable to see Zelensky and his people holding it together in the face of danger.

Jon also says it's unfathomable to see the real cost of war unfold on TikTok, pointing out it's a lot more intense than the old WWII footage, and offers this sobering point ... we're not that far away from the grand mistakes of the past.

A Ukrainian woman trapped in her Kyiv home says she's fighting a "war within a war," because she's transgender and worries transphobic Ukrainians -- who are now armed -- might get her before the Russians.

Zi Faámelu says "it was hell" living as a trans person in the capital of Ukraine, even before the Russian invasion, but now she's unable to flee out of fear leaving her apartment will be more dangerous for her.

While all her friends and neighbors have been able to evacuate the city, she told CBS News, "I don't want to go outside. I am literally scared for my life."

Zi says the country isn't accepting of LGBTQ folks, and she's painfully aware that many of the men who've stayed behind as volunteer soldiers have guns. So, in a twisted way, she thinks staying trapped in her home -- as bombs and missiles explode around her -- feels like the better option.

Even if she makes it to the border, Zi says she'll be blocked from leaving because "If you have male gender on your passport [as a woman] they will not let you abroad... they will not let you through."

Yevhen Malyshev -- a former Ukrainian biathlete -- lost his life while defending his country in the war with Russia ... officials announced Wednesday. He was only 19 years old.

The International Biathlon Union's executive board released a statement confirming the tragic news earlier this week ... saying Malyshev died following Russia's invasion.

"The EB expresses its deepest condolences on the loss," officials said.

Specific details surrounding the circumstances of his passing are unclear ... though officials added he died "serving in the Ukrainian military."

Malyshev raced for Ukraine's biathlon junior team in 2018 and ended his career when the pandemic started in 2020.

"The EB once again condemns the Russian attacks on Ukraine and the support provided by Belarus and reiterates its hope for an immediate end to the war," officials said.

It's been common for Ukrainian athletes to take up arms in the country since Russia's attack ... with star boxers Oleksandr Usyk, Vasyl Lomachenko, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko already in the country fighting off invaders.

Ukrainian tennis star Sergiy Stakhovsky also left his family in Hungary to fight ... saying on "Good Morning Britain," "The world needs to unite and stop this mess."

Tragically, several other Ukrainian athletes have been killed during the war ... with the FIFPRO World Players Union saying earlier this week "young Ukrainian footballers Vitalii Sapylo (21) and Dmytro Martynenko (25)" also passed away.

Whoopi Goldberg hopes Americans never have to imagine being in a situation similar to the Russia-Ukraine war -- but if we do, we should get inspiration from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

We got Whoopi leaving Harry Belafontes 95th birthday party at The Town Hall Tuesday night in New York and asked what Americans can learn from Zelensky, and her response was simple -- keep fighting for your country!

Whoopi says what we're seeing in Ukraine is nothing short of heroics ... with Zelensky refusing to leave his people behind, and defending your homeland is something everyone can get behind.

Zelensky has been proving his bravery, since leading his country's charge to fend off Vladimir Putin's Russian forces, and gave a rousing speech to the European Parliament on Tuesday ... saying he'd fight to the death for his country.

The speech -- coming on the heels of an attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city -- received a standing ovation.

President Volodymyr Zelensky turned the tables on Putin Wednesday, telegraphing he was acting like a Nazi by bombing a sacred part of his country that has become a memorial to Ukrainian Holocaust victims.

Zelensky was incredulous over the Russians bombing Babyn Yar, the site where 33,000 Jews were killed by the Nazis in 1941. It is sacred ground in Ukraine and the bombing has further galvanized the country.

It's rich, right? Putin brazenly lied in a weak attempt to justify the invasion by saying he was doing it to rid Ukraine of Nazis, but by bombing Babyn Yar he's acted like one himself. As Zelensky said, "You are killing Holocaust victims for the second time."

Zelensky went on to observe, "Nazism is born in silence." He has been defending his country on 2 fronts -- internally against the Russians, and externally by pressuring the U.S., European allies and other countries to lend a hand.

As the Russian invasion intensified, Zelensky remains strong, speaking of what things will look like "after the victory."

While Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is desperately hoping the European Union will accept his country, British TV's already welcoming him with open arms by buying his sitcom ... about becoming prez.

Zelensky's comedy, "Servant of the People," is going to be airing on the UK's Channel 4, which purchased the series ... clearly seizing on the Ukrainian leader's worldwide popularity as he stands up to Vladimir Putin's Russian forces.

Channel 4's not wasting any time either -- 'Servant' will reportedly start airing this Sunday night.

The show, which ran for 3 seasons in Ukraine, is about an everyday guy who's elected president and grows into his role as a beloved and heroic leader. Think "Veep" ... minus the heroism.

One scene from the show's already gone viral because it's kinda spot on with real-world events. It shows Zelensky getting a call from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who informs him he's been accepted into the EU. The prez starts celebrating -- even drops an f-bomb -- but then Merkel says she dialed the wrong number.

Brian Cox says Russian actors and entertainers should absolutely stand up to strongman Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war ... even if they risk their careers by speaking out.

We got the "Succession" star Tuesday at LAX and asked if it is really worth it for celebrities in Mother Russia to support Ukraine over Putin.

Brian says there are definite pitfalls ... he says folks in Russia could be convicted of treason if they go against Putin ... but with so much at stake, he says it's a necessary gamble.

Remember ... Brian first brought up the pickle many Russians find themselves in during the SAG Awards, when he said it's a shame Russian celebs are being muzzled by Putin.

It's hard to fault anyone for being apprehensive about crossing Putin ... but Brian says he would absolutely speak out, hypothetically, though he admits it would be easier given his age and already long career.