Russian Actor Mark Eydelshteyn Added to Ukrainian “Myrotvorets” Database for Border Violations

Russian actor Mark Eydelshteyn, best known for his lead role in the Oscar-winning film Anora, has been added to the Ukrainian “Myrotvorets” database.

The site tracks individuals it deems involved in “crimes against the foundations of Ukraine’s national security.” Eydelshteyn’s inclusion is linked to “attempts against Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and repeated violations of Ukraine’s state border.”

Eydelshteyn first gained attention with his role in Sasha’s Country (2022) and achieved international acclaim for Anora (2024), directed by Sean Baker. The film earned the Palme d’Or at Cannes and won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

​Notably, Russian actor Yura Borisov, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 97th Academy Awards for his role in Anora, has also been included in Ukraine’s “Myrotvorets” database. Borisov’s inclusion stems from his participation in the film AK-47 (2020), where he portrayed Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the assault rifle. The film was shot in Crimea after Russia’s attempted annexation of the region in 2014.

​The Academy’s decision to nominate and award “Anora” at the 2025 Oscars elicited significant backlash due to its connections to Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, with some critics raising concerns about its ties to Russian state propaganda, especially given Borisov’s involvement in movies filmed in occupied Crimea.

While the film was celebrated in Russia as a victory against Western “cancellation,” Ukrainian figures criticized its detachment from the war. The Academy did not publicly address these concerns.

Earlier, it was reported that Russian video streaming platforms are negotiating with major Hollywood studios to restore their film libraries for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the RBC news outlet on February 19, citing industry sources.