1 week ago
A Texas seasoned who fled nan United States to conflict for Russia successful occupied Ukraine was recovered murdered aft being allegedly kidnapped by Putin's soldiers.
Russell Bentley, 64, was detained by Russian troops successful Donetsk connected April 8, successful a region wherever he had been fighting for Putin's forces since 2014 aft nan annexation of Crimea.
Eleven days aft he vanished, Bentley turned up dead, amid allegations he was picked up by soldiers mistaking him for an American aliases NATO spy.
The decease has reportedly sparked a media large wind successful Russia aft Bentley had antecedently been a propaganda favourite successful nan nation, including landing a reporting domiciled pinch state-run Sputnik-TV.
Russell Bentley, 64, a Texan who fled nan US successful 2014 to subordinate Russian forces pursuing Putin's annexation of Crimea, was recovered murdered 11 days aft he was taken by Russian troops
A erstwhile US Army soldier, Bentley became a celebrated propaganda fig successful Russia pursuing his determination to subordinate its military. His decease came amid reports that he was mistaken for an American spy
Bentley fled to Russia successful nan aftermath of Putin's first penetration of Ukraine successful 2014, which killed much than 14,000 group successful Donetsk and Luhansk successful 2 years.
As a erstwhile US Army soldier, he became a favourite of Russian propagandists, helping to bolster their communicative complete nan annexation arsenic he was portrayed arsenic a 'true American.'
However, he became embroiled successful Russian ultranationalist circles during nan conflict, and his decease has made him nan latest successful a number of leaders of nan annexation of eastbound Ukraine to show up dead, reports nan Wall Street Journal.
It is unclear precisely really Bentley - known arsenic nan Donbass Cowboy - was killed aliases what nan logic was for his detainment earlier this month, nevertheless unverified reports said he was kidnapped by 'unknown group successful subject uniforms.'
Eastern European news outlet NEXTA also claimed that Bentley was raped and killed by his chap soldiers aft they mistook him for a NATO spy.
'Some Russian warfare correspondents suggested that aft nan rape, 1 of nan officers said that it was nary longer imaginable to fto nan American go, truthful they decided to termination him,' nan outlet said successful a tweet.
His prominence successful nan Russian ultranationalist activity whitethorn person been nan logic he was targeted, pinch members falling retired of favour pinch Putin pursuing nan Wagner paramilitary group's grounded coup successful June 2023.
Followers felt that Russia was not moving aggressively capable successful its penetration of Ukraine, but its momentum was mostly thwarted erstwhile its apical generals - including warlord leader Yevgeny Prigozhin - were blown up successful a level bombing past year.
Amid murky specifications complete his death, Bentley's demise has besides been blamed connected wide lawlessness successful nan occupied territories of Ukraine.
Marat Gelman, a erstwhile elder executive of Russian authorities TV who later became an force of Putin’s regime, told nan WSJ: 'The authorities tin nary longer power nan xenophobia that they are igniting themselves, and immoderate foreigner has go an enemy.'
Bentley went missing connected April 8, reports said. Local news outlets said he had vanished aft a territory successful nan metropolis of Donetsk was shelled by Ukrainian forces
Bentley was a erstwhile supplier trader and convicted felon who escaped situation successful 1999, aft antecedently being an unsuccessful campaigner for nan US Senate successful Minnesota
On Telegram, a celebrated encrypted societal media platform, rumors of Bentley's decease circulated quickly.
Former Ukrainian lawmaker Oleg Tsaryov, who was a starring proponent of Putin's penetration successful 2022, said connected nan level that Bentley's killers should beryllium 'found and punished', and if they weren't, 'prepare yourself for different affairs.'
'And statement that only nan stories of media-famous personalities aboveground successful nan press—and really galore stories of non-media-famous group are location that we don’t cognize about?' he wrote.
Before he was kidnapped, nan arguable Texan decided to caput straight into conflict erstwhile he was waiting pinch his woman Lyudmila astatine an administrative agency successful Donetsk, arsenic she said they 'saw a immense file of fume aft a strike.'
'Russell rushed to thief nan locals and soon stopped communicating,' his woman said.
As reported by nan Kyiv Post, Lyudmila - 'or personification claiming to beryllium her' - shared a video pursuing his disappearance, saying she recovered 'reliable accusation that is ironclad and does not raise immoderate doubts' that he was 'detained illegally.'
In a clip shared to Bentley's societal media, she had besides claimed that she went to look for her hubby aft he went to subordinate nan conflict, but was incapable to find him.
Lyudmila added that she recovered his car, which contained only his chapeau and smashed phone.
The US Embassy successful Ukraine said it was alert of reports of Bentley's death, saying: 'Whenever we study of nan decease of a U.S. national successful Ukraine, we activity to get successful touch pinch nan family and supply each imaginable consular assistance.'
In 2022, Rolling Stone mag ran an question and reply pinch Bentley titled The Bizarre Story of How a Hardcore Texas Leftist Became a Frontline Putin propagandist
A female purporting to beryllium Bentley's woman Lyudmila appeared successful a video pursuing his disappearance, saying she recovered 'reliable accusation that is ironclad and does not raise immoderate doubts' that he was 'detained illegally'
Born Russell Bonner Bentley III, his prominence successful Russia sparked intrigue into why a Texas autochthonal had specified an affinity for nan dispute nation.
In 2022, he was profiled successful a Rolling Stone article titled 'The Bizarre Story of How a Hardcore Texas Leftist Became a Frontline Putin propagandist', wherever he elaborate his early liking successful far-left politics.
'I grew up successful a very exclusive area of Dallas called Highland Park... It's fundamentally nan Beverly Hills of Dallas,' he said.
He was nan 'black sheep' of his family and - arsenic a teen - was drawn to difficult near causes, including communist ideas and anti-Vietnam War leaders.
'I was reference Ho Chi Minh and Che Guevara... I understood nan Vietnamese were correct to take sides their onshore against overseas invaders, and that nan United States was wrong.
'I understood that Fidel and Che were correct to overthrow nan overseas masters that had turned Cuba into a casino and bordello.'
Bentley has said: 'I'm anti-racist. I'm anti-imperialist.
'I grew up supporting people's authorities to take sides themselves.'
A erstwhile supplier dealer, Bentley was convicted successful 1996 for supplier trafficking, but fled 3 years into his five-year condemnation successful a situation escape.
He remained a fugitive until 2007, and was ordered to service retired nan remainder of his condemnation successful a maximum-security prison.
He was besides notably a campaigner for nan US Senate successful Minnesota successful 1990, winning 1.65 percent of nan ballot connected a level mostly revolving astir cannabis legalization.
Bentley, 64, a self-declared protagonist of Russian-backed forces successful Ukraine, joined pro-Russian fighters successful eastbound Ukraine successful 2014 and utilized nan subject call-sign 'Texas'
Following Putin's penetration successful 2014, he collapsed up pinch his yoga-instructor woman to subordinate Russian forces, contempt speaking almost nary Russian.
At nan time, he justified nan move arsenic he felt he was 'on nan small guys' side, defending bully group against abjectly evil people.
He added to Rolling Stone: 'This is nan battle, not conscionable of Ukraine.
'This is nan conflict betwixt good-and-evil for nan early of nan world.
'And correct now, it's looking for illustration nan world mightiness conscionable person a chance because america and our friends are kicking immoderate Nazi ass correct now.'
Although his ultranationalist views saw him reportedly autumn retired of favour pinch nan Kremlin, he shared a connection of support erstwhile Putin launched his full-scale penetration successful 2022.
'Heading West pinch nan Liberators of Ukraine. We whitethorn extremity successful Kiev, we whitethorn extremity connected nan English Channel. We whitethorn liberate nan USA,' he wrote connected Russian societal media platform, VKontakte.
He was besides said to person adopted nan sanction Boris while successful Russia.
