Ian McKellen confirms he is not in Ukraine after social media photo sparks confusion

Fans had erroneously believed actor was in Lviv

Sir Ian McKellen has cleared up the confusion after a photo circulated online leading fans to believe he was in Lviv, Ukraine.

The Lord of the Rings star confirmed that he has not visited the country amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

Lviv has been under attack from Vladimir Putin’s army in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a Russian missile attack on the western city left at least seven people dead.

Recently a photo circulated on social media, which made fans believe that McKellen had flown to Lviv, where Angelina Jolie had been spotted.

“Despite reports and supposed photographs circulating online, I have not visited Lviv or elsewhere in Ukraine,” the actor wrote on Twitter.

The speculation began after Ukrainian writer Maksym Baspalov shared a photo of himself with McKellen and tagged the location as Ukraine.

After the photo went viral on social media, Baspalov explained that the photo was taken in London in November 2021.

He has since replied to the actor’s tweet, writing: ‘It was my joke on FB, sorry. I also wrote about Bruce Lee, but medias published only a news about you.”

He later asked the actor to visit the country, stating: “I’m an author of the photo. Dear sir McKellen, visit Ukraine, please. It would be very inspirating for us! [sic].”

Jolie, who is a special envoy for the UN and has been doing humanitarian work for years, was seen in the city getting coffee this week.