American actress Angelina Jolie, who earlier this week visited Mykolaiv and Kherson as part of a visit organised by the Legacy of War Foundation, wrote on social media about the trip, which she said took place under the “constant threat” of Russian drones.
“The threat of drones was constant and palpable. A quiet humming could be heard in the sky. They call it a ‘human safari’ here, where drones are constantly being used to track, harass and terrorise people. There was a moment when we had to stop and wait it out while a drone flew over our heads. I was in protective gear and it only lasted a few days for me. And these families live like this every day,” the actress wrote.
“They moved schools, clinics and daycare centres into fortified basements – determined to get on with life no matter what. It was hard to see, but at the same time – inspiring. Many spoke of the psychological burden of constant threat and the deeper fear of being forgotten by the world,” Jolie added.
The actress noted that she was struck by the strength and determination of the Ukrainian volunteers, and it is this kind of courage, she said, that governments need to identify in order to stop conflicts and protect civilians.
As the Legacy of War Foundation previously reported, during the trip Jolie met with medical staff, families and volunteers who continue their daily lives under the constant threat of shelling, she saw nets being placed over public roads in some parts of the city to try and provide some protection from Russian drone attacks.
It was the second visit to Ukraine by Angelina Jolie, who has been a UN special envoy for refugees and goodwill ambassador since Russia’s full-scale invasion began. She had previously visited Lviv.
Legacy of War Foundation (LoWF) was established in 2017 to work directly with communities and local partners to support people to recover from armed conflict.
Since 2022, LoWF has helped over 10,000 Ukrainians in frontline areas access primary health care and diagnostics in their communities; distributed over $450,000 in grants and over 30 tonnes of aid.