Angelina Jolie visits Kharkiv during 3rd unannounced visit to Ukraine since start of all-out war

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie paid a surprise visit to Kharkiv, Ukraine, during the third unannounced trip to the country since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. In a Sept. 16 Instagram post, Jolie recounted her encounter with Ukrainian educators and athletes who persist in their work despite the constant Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure.

The actress toured a sports studio in North Saltivka, a neighborhood frequently bombed by Russian forces. There, she witnessed young athletes persevering in their training, often sheltered three stories underground. Jolie's visit also took her to Aza Nizi Maza, an inclusive art studio for children with special needs, where she saw children with learning disabilities create art freely.

During her journey, Jolie also visited a Carpathian region, where she met women who had raised their children alone while seeking the release of their husbands from Russian captivity. She paid her respects to Oleksii Yukov, the head of Platsdarm, a group that conducts dangerous recovery missions in eastern Ukraine. Yukov was killed in an exhumation operation near the front line in early August.

Other Ukrainian cities, such as Lviv and Kremenchuk, reportedly appeared on Jolie's itinerary, though social media posts of her visit to these locations have not been officially confirmed. Jolie's humanitarian work in Ukraine began with her trip in spring 2022, followed by another visit in fall 2025, where she witnessed the relocation of medical and educational institutions underground and protective measures to shield civilians from Russian drone attacks.