An American man who was combating alongside Ukrainian forces has reportedly been killed.
Dalton Kennedy, 26, died in a battle close to town of Kharkiv, Russian pro-government information web site Life reported, citing a put up from an affiliate of Kennedy's in a web based discussion board for neo-Nazis.
"Ukraine will proceed his work. Dalton Kennedy. Relaxation in peace," the put up stated.
Kennedy, of North Carolina, was amongst seven People being investigated by the U.S. Division of Justice and FBI for conflict crimes allegedly dedicated whereas combating in japanese Ukraine, BuzzFeed Information reported in October final 12 months.
He and three others confirmed to BuzzFeed that they'd fought in Ukraine, however denied allegations that they dedicated or aided any potential conflict crimes.
Kennedy was talked about in a 2020 report in Triad Metropolis Beat, a weekly newspaper in North Carolina, about how Ukraine's battle in opposition to Russian-backed separatists was attracting white supremacists and neo-Nazi volunteers from the U.S. following Russian President Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Kennedy graduated in 2015 from Western Johnston Excessive College in Benson, the place he had been a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Coaching Corps, in keeping with the newspaper.
He joined the usArmy that summer season, however left after lower than two months with out finishing primary coaching. The newspaper stated it had obtained footage displaying Kennedy combating in Ukraine, and cited 4 sources who confirmed Kennedy was within the nation in 2016.
Kennedy stated he had served in "two militaries" in a Discord channel utilizing the title "Alfred NC" in January 2018, in keeping with the Triad Metropolis Beat, however didn't point out Ukraine.
He joined Proper Sector, a volunteer far-right nationalist group in Ukraine, in 2016, however informed BuzzFeed Information that he had solely stayed for a pair months.
"Once I was there nothing like that occurred," he stated of the alleged conflict crimes. "We did not even take any prisoners the entire time I used to be there."
In accordance with BuzzFeed, the DOJ wrote in a doc that U.S. authorities consider Kennedy and one other man returned to Ukraine after spending a while again within the U.S. "with the intention of planning and taking part in an armed assault on the Ukrainian [parliament]" in 2017.
Kennedy denied planning any assault on Ukraine's parliament constructing, and confirmed BuzzFeed his passport which indicated that he wasn't in Ukraine on the time the DOJ stated he was.
"I do consider the FBI is unfairly demonizing and attempting to prosecute us for no actual cause apart from our involvement in Ukraine," he added.
The DOJ and U.S. State Division have been contacted for remark.
Replace 5/23/22, 7 a.m. ET: This text has been up to date with extra info.
Post a Comment