Ukraine

Post Malone spreads the love -- and the message of love -- at a wild party during Day 2 of Coachella.

Post performed Saturday night at Coachella Revolve Party at the Merv Griffin Estate in the Palm Springs area, and he had words for the crowd.

Post was emotional, talking about the need to spread love to family, friends and strangers. He talked about struggles -- in Ukraine, the COVID pandemic, and just dealing with life. He tried to inspire the crowd, saying it takes a second to help course-correct someone who is struggling.

Then he gave the crowd what they came to see ... an awesome performance of "Congratulations," and for good measure, he brought out Quavo.

Then, as the show was about to end, P.M. jumped into the crowd, lost his shirt and everyone went wild.

Instagram model Liziane Gutierrez has made it back to the U.S. from Ukraine, but says conditions in the country are desperate ... with volunteers needed to help collect bodies.

Gutierrez -- who is Brazilian-born -- spent nearly a month between Poland and Ukraine where she helped deliver medicine and transport families out of the war-torn nation.

She says lately there's been an influx of Ukrainians attempting to get back to their homes, but warns it's still far too dangerous. A video obtained by TMZ shows lines of cars sitting at the Poland/Ukraine border trying to get back home.

What's most disturbing ... Liziane tells us organizations are now asking for volunteers to help collect bodies from cities decimated by Russian attacks -- including Bucha.

Hundreds of bodies -- some burned and with their hands tied -- are strewn throughout Bucha in what is undeniably a war crime.

Gutierrez says she's happy to be back home, with plans to return to help, but says it's far from over ... and the more attention and funds brought to Ukraine, the more they can continue to fight.

Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall says he feels lucky to be alive after suffering life-threatening injuries in a vehicle that took fire while covering the war in Ukraine.

Benjamin just posted a health update from his hospital bed and says he lost half of one leg, plus the foot on the other leg. He also says one hand is being surgically repaired, one of his eyes isn't working and his hearing is "pretty blown."

As we reported ... Benjamin was traveling in Ukraine last month with veteran Fox news photographer, Pierre Zakrzewski, and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kurshynova, when their vehicle was hit by incoming fire in Horenka, a town outside Kyiv.

Pierre and Oleksandra were both killed during the attack, while Benjamin was hospitalized with severe injuries.

The Chicago Cubs used Opening Day on Thursday to raise awareness for the war in Ukraine -- flying Ukrainian flags at Wrigley Field and donating raffle proceeds to victims.

Cubbies officials hung the Ukrainian flags all outside of the stadium ... with roughly a dozen of the flags being placed around the famous venue's facade.

Inside the stadium, Chicago donated proceeds from the 50/50 raffle to Ukrainian relief efforts.

The team also had Ukrainian American Youth Association Choir hit the field before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers to sing the Ukrainian national anthem.

As we reported, Ukraine has been in need of support since late February ... after Russian troops invaded the country.

Ballerina Kirsten Bloom Allen is pulling off the near-impossible ... getting life-saving supplies to a fellow dancer in Ukraine, who's been forced to put aside his true passion so he can defend his country.

Oleksii Potiomkin says he wanted to help his fellow Ukrainians and protect his family at all costs, but supplies were scarce. When he and Kirsten joined us Wednesday on TMZ Live, she explained why she refused to sit by idly while a fellow dancer was in need.

Kirsten tells us she reached out to Oleksii online -- they knew each other through dance -- and they created a list of things needed for the Hospitallers, a volunteer paramedic group he joined that tends to Ukraine's wounded soldiers.

Kirsten says she shipped the supplies to another ballet dancer in Amsterdam, who took them through Poland and to Oleksii in Ukraine. Now, she's launched a fundraiser, hoping to get more supplies into the country such as medical supplies and food.

Oleksii tells us this war is forcing people from all walks of life to step up and fight for the cause. He started helping people on his own with medicine and aid, even before joining the Hospitallers.

Heroic and inspirational -- both fitting words for what Oleksii and Kristen are doing to protect Ukraine, and to help others heal.

One of Ukraine's prominent politicians says western nations can do more than send military support ... they can financially stick it to the children of Russia's oligarchs in order to put pressure on Vladimir Putin.

Inna Sovsun is hunkered down near Kyiv, and joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" ... as the Russian army attempts to fortify positions, apparently digging in for a much longer war than Putin anticipated.

As devastating as the war has been for her country, Inna tells us citizens -- male and female -- remain focused on defending their homeland ... even though they're painfully aware Russia might resort to using chemical weapons and ultrasonic missiles.

While no one expects Putin to stand down ... she hopes people around him will realize the price of war is too high, and that's where the U.S. and other western nations can help.

Sovsun says tough personal sanctions against Russia's political elites -- aka Putin's oligarch buddies -- are a start, but shutting down their children will also hit them where it hurts. She points out that the oligarchs' kids are still allowed into the U.S. and some are still studying in Great Britain.

Inna told us, "I want them to go back to mother Russia and suffer for the consequences of what their parents did."

One famous feline is helping other animals in need ... raising $10k for animal relief in Ukraine!

Stepan the cat, whose Instagram account Loveyoustepan has 1.2 million followers, started collecting money over PayPal last week, looking to donate to 5 different animal charities in Ukraine ... as of Monday, they've raised $10,035!

The five charities -- Happy Paw, UAnimals, Mykolaiv Zoo, XII Months and Plyushka -- will help in a variety of ways, providing aid to animals in Ukraine affected by the war.

Stepan and co. have been documenting their journey, leaving Kharkiv and fleeing to France. They were woken up at the end of February to explosions that shook their windows ... seeing neighboring houses burnt before their very eyes.

Their house remained untouched for an entire week, until a shell flew into their neighbor's balcony, affecting their building. After escaping to France, they started the fundraiser, asking those able to help to donate what they could.

FYI, this isn't an ordinary cat ... he's caught the eyes of millions, including Britney Spears, who even reposted the kitty on her social media.

Stepan was rescued when he was 1 month old and has lived in Ukraine his whole life. He went viral on TikTok in 2019, appearing with his famous glass of red wine with Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" playing in the background.

President Biden's adding some spice to his visit to Poland ... because while he's next door to the war in Ukraine, he's putting jalapenos on his pizza and hanging with the troops.

Check out these pics of the Commander in Chief greeting the men and women of the 82nd Airborne Division ... he grabbed slices of jalapeno and pepperoni pizza, pausing between bites to take selfies with the rank and file.

Biden's visit didn't just include a presidential pizza party ... he also swung by the barbershop on base, masking up to shake hands with troops waiting in line to get their hair cut.

The troops are on a deterrence mission and Biden warned Friday the stakes in Ukraine are extremely high for the rest of the world.

Russia, in the midst of a horrific war where they've killed innocent civilians, wants to host a major soccer tournament, the European Football Championship, in 2028 or 2032.

Yes, Vladimir Putin isn't going to let the invasion of a sovereign nation and the killing of thousands of people stop them from applying to hold the Euros.

According to the Associated Press, the Russian Football Union announced their intent to play host, with RFU president Alexander Dyukov telling Russian TV ... "We must take the opportunity to host the Euro. It will be at the World Cup stadiums, and we have developed infrastructure."

FYI, Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup.

Even back then many fans weren't happy the country got the most prestigious sporting event in the world. But now, Russia has become pariahs of the world.

In fact, Russia has been shunned by the global soccer community. FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) and UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) decided to ban the country from competing in any international soccer tourneys.

At the time, the organizations released the following statement, saying, "Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both [FIFA & UEFA] presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”

UEFA also relocated the Champions League finals, originally supposed to be played in Russia in February, to Paris.

Russia will be bidding against Turkey and the British Isles ... who also want to host the 2028 European Championship. As for the 2032 bid, Italy is also vying to host the tourney.

Instagram model Liziane Gutierrez is doing her part to help the people of Ukraine, with boots on the ground to help the military deliver medicine and medical equipment to hospitals in need.

Gutierrez tells us she connected with a charity group shortly after the war started, and arrived in Poland last week. Over the weekend, she made the trip to Chervonohrad, Ukraine -- about 2 hours away -- and has been working with the military to deliver the vital supplies to hospitals.

As for what the shipments include -- Liziane says it's everything from pain meds to syringes and even an ultrasound machine -- all from Austria.

She says the hospitals are still fully functioning, for the most part, but the city streets of Chervonohrad are entirely empty -- as most residents have fled.

Star boxer Vasyl Lomachenko is turning down a title fight with George Kambosos Jr. ... all so he can stay in Ukraine and help his home country fend off a Russian invasion.

Promoter Lou DiBella announced the decision to ESPN's Mike Coppinger on Monday ... explaining the planned June 5 Lomachenko vs. Kambosos tilt is now off while Loma continues to take up arms in Ukraine.

Lomachenko, of course, has been front and center in the country since Vladimir Putin decided to invade the land back in February.

Just days after the war began, Lomachenko was seen holding a rifle and wearing army fatigues ... and he's been in the country fighting ever since.

Kambosos said Monday he respects Loma's decision to pull out of the planned boxing match -- saying in a tweet, "I totally understand and I pray for you and your country."

Kambosos added, "Please stay safe," and promised to remake the fight down the road.

Volodymyr Zelensky's former press secretary says the guy's a good leader during war for a couple of reasons  -- including the fact he's a legal eagle.

We talked to Iuliia Mendel Monday -- who served as the Ukrainian President's spokesperson for two years after he was elected in 2019 -- and she told us what she and the rest of Zelensky's team saw in him then that the rest of the world is witnessing firsthand now.

For starters, she reveals that Zelensky was actually a lawyer in his past life -- before he was even a comedian/actor -- and that certainly plays into why he's so savvy in this difficult time.

Mendel explains her former boss' diverse background has helped him navigate what's going on with Russia ... and why he's even been willing to head to the front lines of the fighting to show support both to his troops and people, but also to negotiate as needed.

Then comes a somewhat difficult question ... what if all the backing from the world that Ukraine has received thus far simply isn't enough to fend off the Russians?

Russian forces are unloading on a besieged city in Ukraine, firing dozens of deadly missiles that are now being seen on video for one of the first times in the war.

Check out this clip released by Russia Today and believed to be produced by the Donetsk People's Republic -- a breakaway territory in Ukraine that's sympathetic to Russia -- showing tons of rockets being launched into Mariupol.

These missiles are said to be thermobaric bombs ... which are devastating to anyone and anything in its immediate proximity, and Ukrainian civilians are in the line of fire.

The way these rockets work is scary -- essentially, when they land ... a vapor cloud laced with fuel is unleashed, which is then ignited by the fire to incinerate everything and everyone in the vicinity.

The video, produced with music and narration, shows Russia's army firing missile after missile toward Mariupol, which has been under constant attack for days now ... as both sides accuse the other of violating cease-fires intended to allow citizens to flee through protected corridors.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, its president has made it quite clear that failing to come to terms with Russia will result in what he calls World War 3 ... striking an ominous tone.

Volodymyr Zelensky said as much Sunday during an interview with CNN, in which he was asked about the prospect of ending all this via peace talks with Russia. He said he's obviously open to that, and has even tried negotiating with Putin for years now.

However, he was very blunt in saying ... if Ukraine and Russia cannot figure this out diplomatically -- as they've already tried several times thus far -- then it'll mean an even bigger global conflict.

That conflict would translate to a "third world war," according to VZ -- who didn't really elaborate on what exactly he meant.

Watch the clip for yourself, because it's pretty enlightening. He says Ukraine has done a good job thus far in maintaining its sovereignty and dignity, but that alone won't resolve this fighting. He seems to be alluding to the fact that NATO could get more involved than it already is ... which is almost certainly what it would take to spark an actual world war.

At this point, several countries within NATO have provided tons of aid to Ukraine in the form of money, weapons and other support ... but have stopped short of offering up troops on the ground, including the U.S. The reason, obviously, is because Putin would see that as a reason to start getting nukes ready for launch -- and that's the last thing anyone wants.

As far as what each country wants, it's simple ... Ukraine wants Russia to respect its borders and sovereignty while guaranteeing they won't be under constant threat of invasion. Russia, meanwhile, wants Ukraine to formally acknowledge the Crimean Peninsula is theirs, and to allow separatist territories to join Russia ... plus a promise of never joining NATO.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky deserves the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize ... according to several world leaders now pushing to get him the high honor.

It comes as no shock ... Zelensky's become a beacon of courage around the world for the way he's inspired and rallied Ukrainians against the Russian invasion. That's clearly why a group of European politicians now want the Norwegian Nobel Committee to reopen the nomination for its 2022 peace prize.

The politicians issued a statement, saying ... "We therefore humbly call upon you, the Committee, to consider: Extending and thereby re-opening the nomination procedure for the Nobel Peace Prize until March 31, 2022 to allow for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine."

The extension is necessary because the nomination process closed on January 31.

For the uninitiated, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to an organization or person who has done the most/best to advance fellowship among countries, or the reduction of standing armies ... and have advocated for peace.

Translation: hand the thing to Zelensky.

Nearly 251 people and 92 orgs applied for this year's honor, but for some politicians -- and millions of citizens around the world -- this year's winner should be a no-brainer.

Brittney Griner was in a Russian court on Thursday ... and will remain in custody for AT LEAST another two months after they extended the arrest of the WNBA star, who's accused of bringing drugs into the country.

Video was released showing the Phoenix Mercury center walking, presumably outside the Moscow-area courtroom, flanked by two female guards. The footage is the first we've seen of 31-year-old Griner since she was taken into custody weeks ago.

Russian news agency TASS says the Moscow court granted more time to investigate the alleged crimes ... and "extended the period of detention of the U.S. citizen Griner until May 19."

Griner has been in custody since February after Russian customs officials claim they found hashish oil (vape cartridges) in her carry-on luggage at an airport.

As for the conditions of her "detainment," TASS reports she's sharing a cell with two other women who have no prior convictions. They also reported the 6'7" athlete was issued a bed too short for her frame.

After her arrest, Russian officials said they opened up a drug trafficking investigation into Griner.

Everyone from NBA and WNBA stars, actors and actresses, to Griner's wife has called on the country to release Griner ... to no avail.

"There are no words to express this pain," Griner's wife, Cherelle, said earlier this month.

"I'm hurting, we're hurting. We await the day to love on you as a family."

Several prominent politicians have spoken out about Griner's arrest -- including Hillary Clinton, who recently wrote "Free Brittney" on social media.

U.S. Congressman Colin Allred -- who also happened to attend Baylor U. -- recently told us he hopes Griner doesn't become a political pawn during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Many fear Griner -- who has played pro basketball in Russia for years -- could be used as a bargaining chip against America ... as the west has levied very stiff sanctions against the country.