Mark Hamill is just the best. His admiration and support of the Ukrainian people as they face down a monstrous attempt to end their independence and their lives have been evident since the beginning of Russia's war on them. Now Hamill is the voice of an air raid warning app.
"Attention. Air raid alert," the voice says with a Jedi knight's gravitas. "Proceed to the nearest shelter."
It's a surreal moment in an already surreal war: the grave but calming baritone of actor Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker of "Star Wars," urging people to take cover whenever Russia unleashes another aerial bombardment on Ukraine.
The intrusion of Hollywood science-fiction fantasy into the grim daily realities of war in Ukraine is a consequence of Hamill's decision to lend his famous voice to "Air Alert" — a downloadable app linked to Ukraine's air defense system. When air raid sirens start howling, the app also warns Ukrainians that Russian missiles, bombs and deadly exploding drones may be incoming.
"Don't be careless," Hamill's voice advises. "Your overconfidence is your weakness."
