Russell Bentley

Russell Bentley
Russell Bentley
	Рассел Бентли
Personal details
Born	1960 (age 63–64); Texas, U.S.
Citizenship	Russia
Residence	Donetsk
Military service
Allegiance	Russia
Branch/service	Russian people's militias in Ukraine Donetsk People's Militia Vostok Battalion; ; ;
Years of service	2014–present
Battles/wars	Russo-Ukrainian War War in Donbas Battle of Mariupol (2014); Second Battle of Donetsk Airport; ; Russian invasion of Ukraine; ;

Russell Bentley full name Russell Bonner Bentley III^[1] (Russian: Рассел Бентли) (born 1960), also known as "Texas", is an American man who served in Vostok Battalion and XAH Spetsnaz Battalion in 2014, 2015 and 2017 on the side of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic in occupied Ukraine. He was a YouTuber until his channel was deleted in early 2022.^[2] In the United States, he was convicted of drug smuggling and spent 5 years in prison.^[1]

Bentley, a self-declared communist, came to global attention in 2022^{[citation needed]}, with a series of statements, and videos, about his intention to "liberate Ukraine from nazis". By July 2016, he had been baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church.^{[citation needed]}

Personal journey and motivations[edit]

Initially working as a lumberjack, Bentley left his life in the US, including a relationship with a yoga instructor, to join pro-Russian forces in Donetsk in Ukraine, motivated by a desire to combat Ukrainian forces.^[3]

Crowdfunding activities[edit]

Bentley, a US army veteran, utilized crowdfunding platforms to finance his involvement in the Ukraine conflict.^[4]

Military and political stance[edit]

Bentley decided to fight for the Donetsk People's Republic after being moved by the actions of Ukrainian forces.^{[not in citation given]} He expressed a strong commitment to what he perceives as a "battle against fascism", driven by the desire to take a stand against what he saw as "injustices in Ukraine". The Independent wrote that his involvement highlights the complex motivations behind foreign participation in the conflict.^[1]

References[edit]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Sengupta, Kim (24 September 2015). "Ukraine crisis: Meet the foreign nationals fighting for the Donetsk People's Republic". The Independent. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
↑ "Exclusive: Russell Bentley, Texas Man in Russian Army, Says He's 'Liberating' Ukraine". Newsweek. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
↑ "Who is Russell Bonner Bentley? Texas Man 'On the Front With Russian Troops' in Ukraine". Newsweek. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
↑ "The communist soldier using charity sites to fund his war". BBC News. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 2024-03-27.

External links[edit]

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[Independent-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Sengupta, Kim (24 September 2015). "Ukraine crisis: Meet the foreign nationals fighting for the Donetsk People's Republic". The Independent. Retrieved 27 March 2024.

[2] "Exclusive: Russell Bentley, Texas Man in Russian Army, Says He's 'Liberating' Ukraine". Newsweek. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.

[3] "Who is Russell Bonner Bentley? Texas Man 'On the Front With Russian Troops' in Ukraine". Newsweek. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 2024-03-27.

[4] "The communist soldier using charity sites to fund his war". BBC News. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 2024-03-27.

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