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Baftas host gives Putin the middle finger as Cumberbatch welcomes Ukrainians

Telegraph, 14 Mar 2022
The host of the 2022 Baftas award ceremony gave Russian President Vladimir Putin the middle finger in protest of the his invasion of Ukraine.

Rebel Wilson jokingly said the middle finger was the sign language interpretation of the Russian president's name.

In a ceremony somewhat overshadowed by the devastation of the war, some stars used their platform to urge the public to help home the millions of refugees who fled from Ukraine.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who lost out on a best actor award for his leading role in The Power of the Dog, has said he will host refugees from Ukraine as he urged the government to do more. The star, sporting a flag of Ukraine on his tuxedo as he walked the red carpet, said: “We all need, as we know, to do more than wear a badge.

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