Angelina Jolie Makes A Surprise Trip To Ukraine: Visits Children Suffering From War
(Photo : J Tanner/UNHCR via Getty Images)
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine on Saturday to meet with refugees and children suffering from the Russian invasion

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine on Saturday to meet with refugees and children suffering from the Russian invasion.

Jolie held a conversation with war refugees who have found safety in Lviv, including children receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the missile attack on the Kramatorsk railway station in early April, according to Lviv Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyy.

At least 52 people were killed, and dozens more were wounded in the strike in the eastern Ukrainian city, which seemed to target a crowd of primarily women and children fleeing an imminent Russian assault, per AP News.

Incredible Experience

Jolie, who has been a UNHCR Special Envoy for Refugees since 2011, was "very moved" as she listened to the children's stories.

 "One girl was even able to privately tell Ms. Jolie about a dream she'd had," Kozytskyy wrote on Telegram.

Jolie also visited a boarding school wherein students had a rare opportunity to talk and take pictures with the American actress and filmmaker, who promised: "she would come again."

The official added that Jolie met with evacuees at Lviv's central railway station, as well as Ukrainian volunteers offering medical assistance and counseling to the arriving refugees, as per a report from The Guardian.

Kozytskyy shared that the Hollywood star's visit was a surprise for everyone. "Plenty of people who saw Ms. Jolie in the Lviv region could not believe that it was really her. But since Feb. 24, Ukraine has shown the entire world that there are plenty of incredible things here," he wrote.

The Lviv Regional State Administration, residents of the city, including staff and customers at Lviv Croissants, where the actress stopped, shared images of Jolie's visit in the area.

Twitter user Brigitte posted a photo of her and Jolie with the caption, "She is a amazing woman, thank you for being here."

  Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and Founder of the Institute of the Future, posted a video clip of the actress with the message, "Enjoy your coffee, Angelina, it's delicious in #Lviv!"

Over 12 million refugees were displaced in Ukraine, with more than 5 million fleeing to neighboring countries, as reported b UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Read Also: Moscow Warns Retaliation Against Western Countries Provoking Neo-Nazi Attacks on Russia 

Call To Increase Funds For Humanitarian Efforts

Jolie was a United Nations special envoy for many years. However, Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' head of global communications, stated Jolie visited the region at her sole discretion and that UNHCR had no involvement in her Ukraine trip, as reported by CNN.

In March, Jolie made a three-day visit to Yemen, where she met both internally displaced Yemenis as well as refugees in the north and south of the war-torn country, which is the poorest in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Jolie drew comparisons between people in that country and those affected by the conflict in Ukraine, urging the international community to increase funding for the underfunded humanitarian response and to redouble efforts to put a stop to the conflict.

"With over 80 million people displaced worldwide and aid appeals underfunded globally, we urgently need to find solutions that enable conflicts to be addressed and displaced people to be able to return home in dignity and safety," Jolie said according to a UNHCR press statement.

Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Amal Clooney Pleads for Justice Against War Crimes as Ukraine Becomes a 'Slaughterhouse'

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