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How did Pasha Lee die? Ukrainian 'The Hobbit' actor killed while defending his country

The Ukrainian actor died at the age of 33 after enlisting in Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces

Ukrainian actor Pasha Lee has died at the age of 33 after enlisting in the Ukraine army’s Territorial Defense Forces. 'The Hobbit' actor was killed on March 6 during Russian shelling in Irpin, a town just northwest of Kyiv. The news of his death was announced by the Odesa International Film Festival on Facebook.

On Sunday, March 6, it was reported that eight civilians in Irpin, Ukraine, were killed by Russian shelling as they tried to flee the town. Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said that, besides the actor, other victims included two children who were members of the same family.

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Just last week, Lee shared pictures of himself in military uniforms on his Instagram page. One of the pictures, posted on March 3, was captioned, “Let’s unite”. Another picture was posted on March 5, just a day before his tragic death, with the caption, “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 !!!”

Pasha Lee was a well-known film and dubbing actor, singer, and composer. He was active in Kyiv’s Koleso theater and starred in several films and commercials. His filmography includes 'The Lion King', 'The Hobbit', Valentyn Vasyanovych’s 'The Pit' (2006), and Lyubomyr Levytsky’s 'Shadows of Unforgotten Ancestors' (2013). His last work was the 2021 crime series 'Provincial'.

Lee was a talented man loved by many. People from his industry as well as his fans are shocked, yet proud that he died while defending his country. Many are expressing their anger against Russian aggression while calling Lee a real-life hero. Several people took to Twitter to mourn the loss and offered prayers for the departed soul.

Ukrainian actor Anastasiya Kasilova, who worked with Lee in 'Provincial', took to Facebook to mourn his death. She wrote: “He is an actor, TV presenter, my colleague and a good acquaintance… Never forgive!”

A Twitter user said, "RIP another beautiful soul murdered by lawless Russian invaders. We will never forgive them. And will never forget. Pasha Lee, Ukrainian actor was killed today in Irpin near Kyiv." Another wrote, "Pasha Lee,Ukrainian artist/actor was killed today while delivering humanitarian help to Irpin near Kyiv  I've met him once, rest in peace Pasha 🥺 #StopRussianAggression"

"Rest in Peace, Pasha Lee. Holding you and your loved ones to the light", another tweeted. A fan wrote,"The face of a hero." Another wrote, "RIP ~ Pasha Lee. Thank you for giving the ultimate gift to keep Ukraine its own Country!💕💔💕".