A U.S.-born fighter, Russell Bentley, has gone missing in eastern Ukraine after intensified clashes in the Donetsk region. Bentley, who signed up to join the Russian forces in 2014, was last seen east of the current front line close to the town of Marinka. Russian-linked media reports indicate that local police in the region are looking for Bentley after he disappeared following shelling in the area. The Donetsk region, part of the Donbas, has been the site of heavy fighting, with Russia annexing the region and backing rebels before launching a full-scale invasion in 2022.
Russian state-controlled broadcaster Sputnik reported that Bentley had gone missing in Donetsk on April 8, citing Russian-backed authorities in the region. Pro-Kremlin military bloggers also shared reports of Bentley’s disappearance, with one prominent blogger stating that Bentley’s wife had found his car at a service station with a broken phone. Unconfirmed social media reports suggested that Bentley had been killed. While many U.S. citizens have traveled to Ukraine to fight for Kyiv against the Kremlin, U.S. fighters battling for Russia against Ukrainian forces are rare. The U.S. State Department has warned Americans against traveling to Ukraine due to the ongoing war.
In an interview with Newsweek in early March 2022, Bentley, who goes by the call sign Texas, discussed his experiences in the war-torn region. He expressed that he is not afraid of being killed but is wary of being captured, stating that he is determined to avoid that situation. Bentley has previously referred to himself as “the Donbas Cowboy” and has shared pro-Kremlin content through his social media platforms. He has expressed a sense of luck and belief in guardian angels for surviving near-death experiences during his time in the conflict zone.
Bentley’s disappearance comes amid ongoing tensions in Ukraine, with Russian forces making slow gains in Donetsk after capturing the city of Avdiivka earlier in 2022. His case highlights the complex and volatile nature of the conflict in the region, with foreign fighters from various countries joining different factions involved in the war. Bentley’s background as a U.S. citizen fighting for Russian forces adds another layer of intrigue to his story, as he navigates the dangers and challenges of the battlefield.
As the search for Bentley continues, questions surround his fate and the circumstances leading to his disappearance. The conflicting reports from Russian-linked media sources add to the uncertainty surrounding his situation, with unconfirmed rumors circulating on social media about his possible death. His case underscores the risks and complexities faced by individuals who choose to engage in armed conflicts in foreign countries, as well as the broader geopolitical implications of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The search for Bentley highlights the human toll of the conflict and the challenges of navigating a war-torn region filled with violence and uncertainty.
