FALSE: Oleh Sentsov Fled Ukraine to Czechia

There are claims being circulated online that Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov allegedly fled Ukraine to Czechia.

However, this is false. Sentsov traveled to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival to present his documentary film “Real”. He continues to serve in the AFU and was on leave during his trip.

The filmmaker did not flee Ukraine — he traveled to the annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czechia to present his documentary film “Real”. The premiere took place on June 30. During his trip, Sentsov met with the President of Czechia, Petr Pavel, as well as Hollywood actor and director Viggo Mortensen, who attended the film’s premiere. The Czech leader reported that they discussed supporting Ukraine in repelling Russian aggression during the meeting. The Ukrainian filmmaker thanked Czechia for its assistance, including initiatives to purchase and supply ammunition from countries outside the EU.

In a post on X, the president noted that Sentsov would return to the front from the film festival. On his Facebook page, the director wrote that this was his first trip abroad since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In a post dated July 15, he stated, “I, in turn, will continue to defend my country along with my comrades”.

Since the start of the full-scale war, the director joined the Territorial Defense Forces and now serves in the 47th Mechanized Brigade “Magura” of the AFU. Sentsov filmed “Real” by accident, using a GoPro camera on his helmet during a battle on one of the days of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer of 2023 near Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region. The film lasts an hour and a half without any edits, showing every fragment of the recorded battle.

Czech President Petr Pavel praised “Real”, stating that it can tell more about the war than ten reports or an entire book. According to the art director of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, Karel Och, the screening of the film is an act of solidarity with Ukrainians. Oleh Sentsov believes the film is important as another reason to discuss the war in the “right tone” in Europe and around the world and to remind people why supporting Ukraine matters.

Propagandists use false claims about well-known cultural figures fleeing Ukraine to demoralize Ukrainian society. Previously, we debunked information that the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra fled mobilization to Germany and that Serhii Prytula “travels the world while there is a war in Ukraine”.