Exclusive: Russell Bentley, Texas People inside Russian Military, Claims He is ‘Liberating’ Ukraine

admin November 11, 2023 0 Comment

Lifestyle one of several expert-Russian competitors consuming the newest Donbas region of Ukraine was an old American soldier, Texas local Russell Bentley.

Given the codename “Texas” just after joining the latest , Bentley ran viral the 2009 week to possess revealing video footage from himself on the “the leading range” that have Russian soldiers marching through the Donbas.

Shortly after he trapped the attention of men and women online, Newsweek only spoke to help you Bentley about precisely how a guy out-of Austin-a self-announced previous “surfer, coastline boy-kind of people”-ended up flying so you can Ukraine to become listed on and you may struggle with the newest Donetsk Mans Republic (DPR).

Bentley’s go to Ukraine

Inside the March, the world checked on while the Russian forces become encompassing the fresh edging of Ukraine. For days Russian authorities had refuted plans to entertain, but Bentley while some from inside the DPR realized that which was future.

“It was not a surprise in my experience. It had been a surprise to many idiots that believe on their own, you understand, geopolitical experts on Western,” Bentley informed Newsweek. “Thirty day period back people were ridiculing me to possess claiming: ‘Hey, you know what? This time they mean providers.’”

Bentley, a personal-stated communist, very first set feet inside Donetsk to your , however, his arrival within the Ukraine is actually very long coming.

He was born on the good “rich, really higher-middle-category nearest and dearest” in the Highland Park, Dallas, Texas, an effective “very elitist” area, based on Bentley. Since an earlier guy he supported throughout the You.S. Armed forces, expenses 10 years based in Germany and you will traveling “extensively” around the European countries.

He was a good demolition professional and you can handle engineer just before becoming supplied a keen honorable discharge. After that, then he stayed into South Padre Area, Colorado, in which their nearest and dearest got a restaurant. He invested eight age in the city since an effective “surfer, coastline boy-style of people” prior to thinking of moving Minneapolis, in which he set up a desire for politics.

He had been involved with marches and you will protests from the first and you will next Gulf Wars, and you will claims to was a supporter to possess immigration legal rights, women’s liberties and gay rights.

The guy became much more dissatisfied with America’s overseas procedures and you can turned “disgusted and you can upset” by NATO’s 2011 input from inside the Libya. The guy lay towards action when he failed to should feel just like good “punk” and only “write about how lousy it had been towards Myspace.”

Into the 2014 inside Odessa, Ukraine, all those people were slain throughout the a conflict anywhere between expert- and anti-Euromaiden demonstrators. Viewing footage for the on the web, Bentley told you: “Do you know what, I am likely to go to Ukraine, and you will I’m going to eliminate the Nazis you to definitely performed it, and I’ll protect people, simple civilians.”

Russia provides warranted their venture against Ukraine of the saying these are generally attacking neo-Nazis, and it also will “denazify” the world. not, all those historians enjoys signed an open page condemning Russia’s procedures and you will rhetoric. Laura Kockusch, a professor out of Holocaust studies at the Brandeis University when you look at the Massachusetts, advised NPR the code falls under “a fiction which is used of the Putin in order to validate their war away from hostility towards Ukraine.”

Continuing his excursion on U.S. so you’re able to Ukraine, Bentley told you: “I had a great job, I experienced a good girlfriend, I had a good lifetime. I was comfy. I made a beneficial thousand cash each week dollars, speaking with somebody since the a salesman. My personal girlfriend is actually a pilates teacher 20 years younger than myself, brother. Zero shit.”

Bentley packed their handbags, rode their bike so you’re able to Dallas and had your final Thanksgiving which have their family unit members. He offered their bike and you will got with the an airplane in order to Moscow.

Fighting Ukrainians towards front range

Travelling of Rostov Corinth hot women sexy in order to Donetsk, Bentley satisfied a pal he would been in touching that have, a reporter revealing from the city. A week later, the guy inserted the newest army to the Vostok Battalion, good Russian militant class performing from the Donbas part.

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