The Truth About American Volunteers Fighting Russia in Ukraine

However, they were allowed to fight on the Ukrainian front and had access to American weapons. An investigation by the American newspaper showed that this group had many problems.

Thousands of these volunteers poured into Ukraine. Many were Americans, promising to bring their military experience, money and supplies to the battlefield. Newspapers in their home countries praised their commitment, and donors poured in millions of dollars.

Yet after a year of fighting, many of these volunteer groups are fighting against themselves and undermining the very fighting efforts to which they were committed.

The Truth About American Volunteers Fighting Russia in Ukraine - 1 — American volunteers (right row) train Ukrainian soldiers. Photo: New York Times.

Some wasted money or lost the will to fight. Others wore the appearance of charity while in fact seeking to profit from the armed conflict, according to the records.

A retired Marine lieutenant colonel from Virginia is at the center of a federal investigation into the illegal export of military technology. A former U.S. Army soldier tried to travel to Ukraine and then defected to Russia. A Connecticut man posted live updates from the battlefield, including his exact location, boasting about his easy access to U.S. weapons. A former construction worker hatched a plan to use fake passports to smuggle fighters from Pakistan and Iran into Ukraine.

Such figures have a foothold in Ukraine’s defense because of the US’s role in supplying weapons. The Biden administration has sent money and weapons to Ukraine, not professional soldiers. That means many “unscrupulous” people have easy access to US weapons.

Some volunteers rushed to Ukraine to actually help the Ukrainian government in its military confrontation with Russia. They did everything from fighting to providing first aid to the wounded. They also raised money to buy vital supplies for Ukraine.

But in Europe's largest land conflict since 1945, alongside trained volunteers, there are also those who lack both the skills and discipline to help Ukraine.

The New York Times reviewed more than 100 pages of internal documents from volunteer groups and interviewed more than 30 volunteers, fighters, fundraisers and donors, as well as U.S. and Ukrainian officials. Some spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

Interviews and research have revealed a series of scams, mistakes and controversies that have hampered volunteering since Russia launched its “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022, when Ukrainian President Zelensky appealed for help. “Every friend of Ukraine who wants to defend this country together with Ukraine, come here,” Zelensky said at the time. “We will give you weapons.”

Thousands of people responded to Mr. Zelensky’s call. Some joined military groups like the International Legion that Ukraine has set up for foreign fighters. Others took on support roles or fundraised.

Ukraine was so preoccupied with the war that it did not have much time to vet volunteers. As a result, many people with questionable pasts became entrenched in the Legion and countless other volunteer groups.

When asked about these issues, the Ukrainian military said in general terms that it was on guard because Russian agents regularly try to infiltrate Ukrainian volunteer groups. Andriy Cherniak, a representative of Ukraine's defense intelligence, said: "We investigate such cases and hand them over to law enforcement agencies."

Lie like a rock

One of the most famous Americans on the battlefield in Ukraine is James Vasquez, a Connecticut contractor who announced that he was leaving the United States for Ukraine. The local newspaper in the United States spun a beautiful story about a former US Army non-commissioned officer leaving his job and family behind, picking up his gun and backpack to go to the front.

Since then, Vasquez has been posting videos online of the battlefield, and on at least one occasion has broadcast the exact location of his unit to everyone, including the enemy. He has used this story to solicit donations. In one fundraising video, Vasquez said: “I was in Kuwait during Desert Storm, and I was in Iraq after 9/11.”

In fact, a Pentagon spokeswoman said, Vasquez never deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, or anywhere else. He specialized in fuel and electrical repair. And he left the Army Reserve not as a noncommissioned officer but as a private first class.

Vasquez had access to a variety of weapons, including American rifles. He said he did not know exactly where the weapons came from, but noted that the rifles were “brand new and in large quantities.” He also tweeted that he did not need to worry about international rules of war while in Ukraine.

Vasquez fought alongside the Ukrainian right-wing battalion known as the “Wolves of Da Vinci” until last week, when the New York Times asked him about inaccurate statements about his military service. Vasquez then promptly deactivated his Twitter account and said he could leave Ukraine because authorities there had discovered he was fighting without the required military contract.

Vasquez admitted to being discharged from the US Army but did not publicly say why he was discharged. In an interview, Vasquez said he had to "tell a million lies to get ahead."

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