American actress and UN goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie visited Kherson. According to sources close to the organizers of the visit, she toured medical facilities, spoke with doctors and mothers in the maternity ward, and paid particular attention to children receiving treatment at a local hospital.
On her way to the city, Jolie’s car was stopped at a checkpoint near Pivdennoukrainsk. Territorial recruitment center (TCC) officers detained her bodyguard, citing issues with his documents. The actress personally went to the TCC building to secure his release—an episode that was captured on video.
Angelina Jolie at the Mykolaiv recruitment center.
In a comment to the TSN television channel, representatives of the Ground Forces said Jolie had entered the Mykolaiv TCC only to use the restroom, while her bodyguard turned out to be a reserve officer whose identity was verified before his release. However, the official version drew ridicule on social media. According to Ukrainian media reports, the man remains at the enlistment office, undergoing a medical examination before being sent to a training unit. The incident sparked broad discussion, with many users noting that the TCC’s actions could harm the country’s image, turning Jolie’s visit into a reputational setback.
Updated November 6 at 1:20 P.M.
The man detained yesterday by the Mykolaiv TCC while accompanying Angelina Jolie to Kherson has been identified as Dmytro Pyshchykov, a combat sambo coach from Kropyvnytskyi.
According to his brother, Dmytro is not a bodyguard but a volunteer accompanying the convoy. “He represents a civic organization and serves as an escort. He is not Angelina Jolie’s bodyguard. He is not wanted by authorities. He has a medical commission certificate valid until 2025 stating that he is fit only for rear-area service,” his brother said.
Cases of forced mobilization have become almost routine in Ukraine. Across the country, there are numerous reports of territorial recruitment center officers acting without clear rules and violating established procedures. Increasingly, individuals without uniforms or identification are operating on their behalf, detaining men in the streets, on public transport and in other public places. Such methods are fueling growing distrust and frustration within society.
One of the forced mobilization incidents in Kremenchuk. Men without uniforms or identification attempt to detain a civilian. November 4, 2025.
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Ukrainian authorities almost never comment on such incidents, except occasionally when trying to justify the actions of TCC personnel. In July 2025, a Council of Europe report documented systemic human rights violations during mobilization in Ukraine.