Actress Milla Jovovich announces gown auction for Ukraine charity

Actress Milla Jovovich has announced the auction of a special one-of-a-kind gown to raise money for charity in Ukraine.

The "Resident Evil" star is working with Ukrainian designer Lever Couture on the dress which will feature "love letters" to Ukraine sewn onto it.

In a post marking the one-year anniversary of the conflict in her homeland, the actress shared pictures of the process as well as her own poem which will feature.

The gown will be sold at auction, with all proceeds going to the Olena Zelenska Foundation, a charity set up by the First Lady of Ukraine.

Jovovich, who was born in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, was one of many Hollywood stars to share heartfelt messages online following the outbreak of the war last year.

Other famous faces including Madonna, Kylie Jenner and Pink sent thoughts and prayers to the thousands displaced by the conflict.

"Today marks the one year anniversary of the war on Ukraine," Jovovich wrote on Instagram.

"I am working with an exceptional Ukrainian designer @lever_couture who is taking 'love letters' for Ukraine and sewing them by hand on a couture gown which will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to @zelenskafoundation.

"Here are some pics of the amazing process of making this one of a kind gown!"

Sharing her poem in the post's caption she continued: "My motherland cries tears of smoke and ashes. Her men fight with the ingenuity of true belief.

"So many hearts, so many women torn in pieces. Of husbands, children, cats and curtains, blown out flats. Windows, plates and tea cups, ethics and ideals bombarded by the sounds of missiles landing at the door.

"I love you Ukraina. I love you as my ears explode."

At least 100,000 soldiers on both sides of the war are estimated to have been killed or injured, since Russian president Vladimir Putin's renewed invasion began on February 24, 2022.

Thousands more civilians have died and more than 13 million people have been made refugees or displaced inside Ukraine.

On Friday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky vowed Ukraine would do everything in its power to defeat the invasion before another anniversary can be marked.