UNITED24 Ambassador Liev Schreiber visits Ukrainian icebreaker Noosphere

The National Antarctic Science Center reports.

"Our Noosphere was visited by a cool guest - Liev Schreiber, a famous American actor, producer, director and one of Ukraine's most dedicated ambassadors of the UNITED24 initiative. The meeting was casual but very warm and friendly," the statement reads. 

The science center said the actor was on a cruise in the Antarctic. He saw a Ukrainian icebreaker heading from the Vernadsky Research Base to Chile near King George Island. Through UNITED24, he contacted the crew and asked to meet.

Photo: uac.gov.ua

"Noosphere’ captain Oleksandr Hryshko readily agreed, and Liev boarded the Ukrainian flagship in a few hours. Of course, the main topic of the brief meeting was the full-scale war in Ukraine and Ukraine's ability to develop science and Antarctic research even in such conditions," the National Antarctic Research Center notes.

In memory of his visit, the actor left a note in Ukrainian: "To Captain Hryshko and the crew of Noosphere, thank you for your hospitality, but more so for raising the flag so proudly and reminding the world how strong we are together. Putin is a jerk!!!"

Photo: uac.gov.ua

The crew thanked the actor for meeting and supporting Ukraine and expressed hope for the next meeting in the Odesa port during the Ukrainian victory celebration.

Photo: uac.gov.ua

For reference. Liev Schreiber is an American actor, director and producer. He was born in San Francisco but has Ukrainian roots. After the full-scale invasion began, the actor launched the BlueCheck Ukraine initiative, cooked borscht for internally displaced people at the train station in Przemysl, Poland, together with the humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen, and visited Lviv to support the Ukraine Needs You psychological assistance project.

On July 6, 2022, Schreiber became a UNITED24 ambassador for Medical Aid and initiated fundraising for generators for Ukrainian hospitals.

• On January 28, 2022, the research vessel Noosphere embarked on its maiden voyage to Antarctica. It was the first time a Ukrainian ship had entered the Southern Ocean in 20 years.

• On April 9, 2023, the change of expeditions took place at the Akademik Vernadsky station. After 408 days, the research icebreaker Noosphere brought the specialists home. 

• On November 17, 2023, Noosphere set sail from Cape Town to the Antarctic. This is its third expedition. 

• On December 6, 2023, the icebreaker arrived at the Polish Antarctic station Arctowski. Then it headed to the Ukrainian polar explorers at the Akademik Vernadsky station.