Angelina Jolie makes surprise visit to Kharkiv with son Knox

The Ukrainian Boxing Federation announced on Instagram on Monday that Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie had visited the "Spadkoyemez" boxing club in Kharkiv together with her son Knox. According to the federation, Knox took part in a joint training session with Ukrainian fighters at the club.

Neither Jolie herself nor the Ukrainian government has officially commented on the visit.

An unannounced arrival

Club owner Pavlo Chizhko said that when he accepted a booking for the studio on Sunday, he had no idea a world-famous actress would show up. He stressed that it was not a joke or an AI-generated image, but pure coincidence. He noted that Jolie treated people respectfully, asking his son how long he had been training in sports. Jolie's son Knox also made a good impression, greeting many of those present.

Kharkiv under constant attack

Kharkiv, located in northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border, is the country's second-largest city. Since the war began, it has faced near-daily drone and missile attacks from Russia.

This is not the first time Jolie has visited Ukraine. From 2012 to 2022, she served as a special envoy for the UN Refugee Agency and visited the country at least twice during that period, including a few months after Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.