Jolie's Driver Also Shocked by On-the-Spot Conscription at Ukrainian Checkpoint

Driver Escorted for Lacking Conscription Deferment Documents

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie witnessed her bodyguard being detained during her visit to Kherson, Ukraine.

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie visited Kherson in southern Ukraine to meet with residents. War Legacy Foundation

According to British media outlet The Sun and others on November 8 (local time), Angelina Jolie visited the Kherson region, a frontline city in southern Ukraine and a major target of Russian offensives, in her capacity as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. During her visit, she witnessed her bodyguard being taken away.

Jolie, wearing a bulletproof vest, was accompanied by a local driver who also served as her bodyguard. While passing through a checkpoint, a Ukrainian conscription officer issued a draft order to Jolie’s driver.

The driver, who is a military reservist, was found not to have the necessary deferment documents, which led to the conscription order. Although the driver protested, saying he was transporting an important person, the soldiers escorted him to the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC).

Rumors circulated online suggesting that Angelina Jolie had interfered in military affairs. However, a statement from the Ukrainian Ground Forces clarified that these rumors were unfounded. The statement explained, "The individual in question was a bodyguard accompanying Angelina Jolie and was held nearby until the situation was fully understood," and added, "Neither Jolie nor her associates influenced the work of soldiers or officials." The Mykolaiv regional conscription office also announced that the man was confirmed to be a military reservist and was issued a retraining order on the spot.

It was reported that Jolie was deeply shocked by the forced detention of her driver. Russian state news agency TASS later reported that Jolie contacted the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to request the driver’s release, but it remains unconfirmed whether he was actually released. Jolie’s team has not issued an official statement on the matter. However, it is known that she composed herself and resumed her schedule.

As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Jolie visited the region as part of a humanitarian program to support civilians in Kherson who have been affected by the Russian invasion. She also aimed to comfort children in underground shelters near the frontlines and to raise awareness about the realities of war damage. In May 2022, early in the Russia-Ukraine war, she visited Lviv, Ukraine, and spent time with children there as well.

As the Russian invasion nears its fourth year, Ukraine continues to suffer from a chronic shortage of military personnel. Ukraine’s monthly mobilization capacity is around 27,000 troops, which is numerically inferior to Russia’s, as Russia mobilizes more than 30,000 troops each month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.