Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie has visited Kherson, one of Ukraine's most dangerous frontline cities, where she met with medical staff, volunteers and civilians enduring relentless Russian attacks. Her visit was organized by the Legacy of War Foundation, which said Jolie also travelled to the nearby Mykolaiv region.
"At a time when governments around the world are turning their backs on the protection of civilians, their strength, and their support for each other is humbling," Jolie said in a statement released Thursday by the foundation.
Photos published by the group show Jolie wearing a flak jacket in a basement and meeting children in a windowless underground room. She reportedly visited medical and educational facilities that had been moved below ground to protect residents from near-daily shelling.
Life under fire in Kherson
Once home to nearly 300,000 residents, Kherson remains the largest city within range of Russian artillery and drones, making it one of the most dangerous places in Ukraine. Russian forces occupied the city in March 2022, before withdrawing eight months later across the Dnipro River, where they continue to launch attacks from the opposite bank.
A recent U.N. inquiry found that Russian troops have been using drones to hunt down civilians near the front line, forcing thousands to flee, actions that may constitute crimes against humanity, according to investigators. Moscow has denied deliberately targeting civilians.
Second visit to Ukraine
This marks Jolie's second trip to Ukraine since the war began. She previously visited Lviv in the spring of 2022, meeting civilians displaced by Russia's invasion.
"Sometimes it seems that we have been forgotten, but we can see that this is not the case," said Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, deputy head of Kherson's regional administration, expressing gratitude for Jolie's visit.