Daniel Wolfram
The Hollywood actress and Oscar winner is no stranger to visiting the country right in the heart of the war.
A local boxing club in eastern Ukraine recently welcomed an A-list Hollywood celebrity to its gym.
During a trip through the war-torn city of Kharkiv, actress Angelina Jolie surprisingly dropped by the Spadkoyemets boxing club.
Her son Knox accompanied her and even stepped onto the mat to participate in an energetic Thai boxing session alongside active Ukrainian service members.
The boxing club shared the visit in an Instagram post. “Recently, completely by chance, Angelina Jolie visited us. Her son Knox, together with defenders, conducted his Thai boxing training. We are very grateful and happy that you chose our gym!” the club wrote.
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Visit at the front lines
Angelina Jolie did not just visit Kharkiv. Over the course of her travels, Jolie visited several major Ukrainian cities, including Lviv and Kremenchuk. The trip to the other cities was unannounced as well.
Jolie has visited Ukraine several times since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Her first trip took place right after the invasion started in 2022, when she visited Lviv to spend time with displaced residents and young children injured during a missile strike on a railway station.
Hollywood support for the war-torn country
Angelina Jolie also toured medical facilities, including a local maternity clinic and a specialized children’s hospital. Photos showed her wearing a heavy bulletproof vest marked with Ukrainian military insignia as she visited the facilities.
The head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration presented her with a special commemorative “Kherson” coin for her bravery and willingness to tour medical facilities in a war zone.
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The trip was part of a humanitarian effort by the Legacy of War Foundation, which was originally founded by photographer Giles Duley. Jolie is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, a role in which she has advocated for children’s rights in Ukraine.
“The people of Mykolaiv and Kherson live with danger every day, but they refuse to give in. 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.
