Imagine Dragons release music video filmed in bombed-out Ukrainian village

The clip was released on the band's YouTube channel.

"We still can't believe it, but it happened! Imagine Dragons released a music video for the song Crushed, shot in Ukraine. It is dedicated to Ukraine and supported by United24. We will tell you a lot more about this work. For now, just watch. And listen," Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov wrote on Telegram. 

It was directed by Ty Arnold, a friend of UNITED24 and the author of the band's most popular music videos. The purpose of the release of this film is to support the "Reconstruction of Ukraine" direction of the fundraising platform UNITED24, the company said in a statement.

Ty Arnold's film tells the true story of a 14-year-old boy named Sashko. His native village of Novohryhorivka, Mykolaiv region, was occupied for five months, until it was liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The boy survived thanks because he was hiding in a bomb shelter. Although the fighting near the village has stopped, the boy's house and school are still in ruins. The clip depicts in detail the story of the boy's perseverance.

The video ends with the words: "And like so many others, Sasha and his family hope to rebuild their home. They are still here."

In particular, the tape is dedicated to the courage of the Ukrainian people and a call to the world for help.

"Sasha's story is heartbreaking, and there are thousands more like him who desperately need help. Even today, his family is without electricity and other basic utilities. We hope people will consider donating to UNITED24 and raising their voice for this cause," commented Dan Reynolds, the band's frontman.

Ty Arnold said that he spent last winter in Ukraine, delivering food to people who needed it. Many of them were still under artillery fire or had recently been liberated from occupation.

"Imagine Dragons are very engaged in helping Ukraine and I felt this was an opportunity for people to see how this war has affected lives. During my travels I met Sasha, a young boy who had survived months of shelling. He had recently returned to his home village, only to find it completely destroyed. This video captures, in a small way, what Sasha experienced and what thousands of other Ukrainians continue to experience every day," he said.

• Previously, the legendary band Imagine Dragons became the ambassador of UNITED24.