Former US Marine fighting alongside Ukrainian forces killed in Bakhmut
The 26-year-old was hit by a mortar likely on April 19.
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Former US Marine, Cooper Andrews (Twitter)
A former US Marine, Cooper Andrews, was killed late last week on the outskirts of Bakhmut, as per his mother and colleagues.
According to Andrews' mother, the 26-year-old was hit by a mortar likely on April 19 on the so-called "Road of Life," which is a rare access road into Bakhmut used by the Ukrainian military to resupply their forces. She added that Andrew’s body has yet to be recovered.
The former US Marine worked for a group known as the Resistance Committee, according to their social media statements.
In November, he left Cleveland, Ohio, to join the so-called Foreign Legion in Ukraine.
Although his contract ended in March, he decided to stay and keep taking part in the war in Ukraine, his mother said.
The US Department of State announced on Monday that it could "confirm the death of a US citizen in Ukraine," without naming the individual.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine war, the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington has received thousands of inquiries on voluntary services.
In February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the formation of an "international legion", which would reinforce the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian forces.
Later, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed that the entry of these militants into Ukraine "will be simplified to the maximum extent possible."
It is noteworthy that the Russian Defense Ministry has cautioned that mercenaries who enter Ukraine are not considered official personnel or combatants and face the risk of execution or imprisonment.
