Stolen Valor: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine Who Lie, Waste and Bicker

[Zorro]

People who would not be allowed anywhere near the battlefield in a U.S.-led war are active on the Ukrainian front, with ready access to American weapons.

They rushed to Ukraine by the thousands, many of them Americans who promised to bring military experience, money or supplies to the battleground of a righteous war. Hometown newspapers hailed their commitment, and donors backed them with millions of dollars.

Now, after a year of combat, many of these homespun groups of volunteers are fighting with themselves and undermining the war effort. Some have wasted money or stolen valor. Others have cloaked themselves in charity while also trying to profit off the war, records show.

One retired Marine lieutenant colonel from Virginia is the focus of a U.S. federal investigation into the potentially illegal export of military technology. A former Army soldier arrived in Ukraine only to turn traitor and defect to Russia. A Connecticut man who lied about his military service has posted live updates from the battlefield — including his exact location — and boasted about his easy access to American weapons. A former construction worker is hatching a plan to use fake passports to smuggle in fighters from Pakistan and Iran.

And in one of the more curious entanglements, one of the largest volunteer groups is embroiled in a power struggle involving an Ohio man who falsely claimed to have been both a U.S. Marine and a LongHorn Steakhouse assistant manager. The dispute also involves a years-old incident on Australian reality TV.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/25/world/europe/volunteers-us-ukraine-lies.html?unlocked_article_code=TTsiiJ0SEND5DMfDkLjDXfKcQlUPt8L03aQ4pqj5I5zCfQg65FeyvRjlydhtbWvpI7jtdDzKUGUn5U9xcqaYktOOMOtCz4Il7rDNGCsbQ_z6RIO67SWdJaFGC3TQeCdddiunmtDGaK-8dJRQ5cAMecJy9gvtUA8vfUY97g_WvRy-TM0KcknwBlG14PARYNVjsAjVkfAj8V3YTbpItE35L3eg15U7Rcth2gZ1tiO-_n8IwdBSzo4t0QoAMBnao8hZ5tRI6XtE_dnu-MThWOdgvvmf0cfas9pbchzjwBRQBUg5GmUD2oTVJpxHAp-zewhxjAFF0wvQ4LjXMzSrBLEkhduxSNeVW_AG3A&smid=url-share

[Faux pas]

1. Sheesh

Predators gotta prey.

[riversedge]

2. whow. I had no idea this was going on.

[texasfiddler]

3. Another reason why I stopped my NYT subscription back in January of 2021.

Thank you Foreign Legion for coming to the aid of Ukraine. Yes a few are bad actors, but the overall group is sound and the Legion should continue and grow. Fuck you Schneck and Neff for not listening to Malcolm Nance or Philip Ittner who stayed up late for your interview. One sided piece and sloppy journalism at best. Or maybe you are just doing the bidding of the Pravda.