Angelina Jolie tells about her visit to Mykolaiv and Kherson

American actress Angelina Jolie visited Mykolaiv and Kherson as part of a humanitarian mission. She inspected hospitals and educational facilities, which are working in underground shelters due to the constant threat of shelling and drones.

This was reported by the Legacy of War Foundation.

In Mykolaiv and Kherson, Jolie spoke to medical staff, families and volunteers. In the cities, part of the medical care and training was moved to the shelters, where the actress showed how the underground premises are equipped to perform surgeries, treat patients and teach children.

«In response to the ongoing threat, medical care and education have been moved to fortified underground facilities so that treatment and education can continue with greater protection. Angelina spent time observing this work — a reminder of both the human cost of conflict and the resilience of those who continue to endure it», as quoted in the media from the actress' trip.

On the streets of Mykolaiv and Kherson, she drew attention to the protective nets over the roads that are being installed to reduce the risk of drone strikes in the most vulnerable areas.

According to the actress, despite the exhaustion of the war, residents of the southern regions demonstrate resilience and a desire to return to normal life. She also compared the experience of Ukrainians with the situation of people in other areas of protracted conflict.

«Residents of Mykolaiv and Kherson live in danger every day, but they refuse to give up. At a time when governments around the world are turning away from protecting civilians, their strength and support for each other is humbling. After nearly three years of conflict, exhaustion is evident, but so is determination. Families want security, peace and the opportunity to rebuild their lives,» Angelina Jolie said.

She also emphasised that the situation in southern Ukraine has many similarities with other regions of the world where conflicts are ongoing, from Sudan to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

«The people of Mykolaiv and Kherson belong to many communities experiencing protracted conflict around the world, including civilians in Sudan, Gaza and the DRC. Each situation has its own story, but the human experience is familiar: displacement, loss and daily efforts to maintain dignity. Diplomacy and the protection of civilians must not disappear in the brutal confrontation between weapons and technology,» Angelina Jolie added.

The actress thanked the local organisations she met with during the trip and the «Legacy of War Foundation», which supported her visit.

Angelina Jolie's visit to Mykolaiv region

Earlier, NikVesti reported that during Angelina Jolie's visit on 4 November, the actress's motorcade was stopped by employees of the territorial recruitment centre. A video was posted on social media showing Jolie in the Voznesensk district recruitment centre.

Later, it became known that an investigation would be conducted in Pivdenoukrainsk to determine how the video appeared in the public domain. The Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the man who was detained that day by the TRC was a reserve officer and had no confirmed grounds for a deferment.

Later, it turned out that the detained man in the motorcade was a 33-year-old combat sambo coach from Kropyvnytskyi, Dmytro Pyshchykov. As reported by «Suspilne», he did not serve in the army, but has military training, passed the VLC in 2025 and was considered partially fit to serve in the TCC or rear units.

The family members note that the man was not travelling as Jolie's bodyguard, but as a volunteer from an NGO. According to his brother, Dmytro Pyshchykov has back problems, was not wanted and had all his documents with him.

Pyshchykov's girlfriend Yuliia Lotytska told journalists that after his detention, she lost contact with Dmytro. His phone is switched off and he does not respond to messages. Yuliia plans to come to Mykolaiv region to find out where her husband is and what happened to him.