The actress Angelina Jolie has made an unexpected visit to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.
Jolie met with orphaned and displaced children, including several who evacuated from Mariupol as Russia continued its attack. She also met with doctors and volunteers caring for the children.
"The purpose of Angelina’s visit is to bear witness to the human impact of the conflict, and to support the civilian population," her spokesman said.
The actress praised Ukrainians for their "resilience and courage and dignity."
The impact the war is having on a generation of Ukrainian children is devastating to see," she said in a statement. "No child anywhere should have to flee their homes, or witness the murder of their loved ones, or experience shelling and the destruction of their homes. Yet that is the reality of so many children in Ukraine and around the world."
According to the Kyiv Independent, Jolie also visited the city's main train station to welcome internally displaced Ukrainians arriving from Pokrovsk, a city in the region of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
