Angelina Jolie’s driver-bodyguard, during a trip to Ukraine, confirmed he has been conscripted after officials stopped him while on the road with the famous star
Angelina Jolie visited Ukraine on November 5(Image: Ukrainian Border Guards: e2w news)
Angelina Jolie’s driver-bodyguard admitted he has been forced to fight in the Ukraine war, after he was stopped during a tour with the film star.
Dmytro Pyshchikov, 33, was dramatically halted at a checkpoint when he was working as a guide for the Hollywood actress during her visit to the war-torn country, on November 5. Controversy erupted when Pyshchikov was grabbed from the star’s motorcade and taken to an enlistment office. Pyshchikov insisted to officers that he had an exemption from a call-up due to a spinal condition, but the bodyguard has now confirmed he has been sent to a military training centre before heading to the front line.
Dmytro Pyshchikov was detained while driving the Hollywood star(Image: social media / East2west News)READ MORE: I won’t let war stop me visiting Ukraine – I’ve watched rockets fall above my headREAD MORE: Ukraine’s ‘Deep Strike’ special forces deal Putin’s warchest devastating blow
Jolie had been visiting Ukraine with the Legacy of War Foundation, a British based charity founded by photographer and triple amputee Giles Duley, 54. The Ukrainian ground forces confirmed Pyshchikov was a driver for the Hollywood star during her trip, saying: “The citizen, as a driver, was part of the group that accompanied the foreign actress Angelina Jolie.”
It added: “Neither she nor her representatives influenced the work of military personnel and civil servants of the TRC and the Recruitment Centre, as some posts on the Internet try to suggest.”
The 33-year-old has now come out and said: “The plan is to complete training and serve in the army.” This followed Pyshchikov being held out of contact at the army’s Territorial Recruitment Centre (TRC).
In a video, Pyshchikov confirmed he was conscripted to fight in the war(Image: social media; east2west news)
In a video after his release, he told worried followers that “nothing terrible happened”. He said: “Friends, don’t panic. Everything is fine. I didn’t run away or hide from anyone.”
Ukraine is forced by Russia‘s aggression to recruit as many people as it can to defend the country. Pyshchikov claimed earlier that his exemption was not being taken seriously.
He said: “When I asked why I was being detained, the police officer couldn’t answer me. My documents were in order. I had a recent medical examination certificate and was not wanted by the police.
Jolie visited Ukraine with the Legacy of War Foundation – a British based charity(Image: Ukrainian State Border Service/A)
“I had recently arrived from the Donetsk region and had no problems. For some reason, I was detained at this checkpoint without explanation and asked to go with them to clarify some details. It turns out it was a deception.”
During her visit, Jolie said: “The people of Mykolaiv and Kherson live with danger every day, but they refuse to give in. At time when governments around the world are turning their backs on the protection of civilians, their strength, and their support for each other is humbling.
“After nearly four years of conflict, exhaustion is visible, yet so too is determination. Families want safety, peace, and the chance to rebuild their lives.” As she left the country, the Maleficent star was thanked by Ukrainian border guards for backing the country in their fight for survival.
The 7th Border Detachment presented her with a set of national symbols and the emblem of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine as a “token of gratitude”.