A former Army Green Beret died this week after he was caught in a Russian artillery barrage while fighting on the side of Ukraine in the besieged city of Bakhmut.
Retired Staff Sgt. Nicholas Maimer, 45, was in a building that collapsed after being hit by an artillery bombardment during front-line fighting in eastern Ukraine.
“From what I understand, he was providing [Ukrainians] with firsthand training in that area so that they can continue to do the fight, and he got caught behind enemy lines,” retired Army Lt. Col. Perry Blackburn told the Idaho Statesman newspaper.
Mr. Maimer was a resident of Boise, Idaho, when he went to Ukraine to offer his help.
Mr. Blackburn is a founder of the nonprofit group AFGfree, which delivers food and medical supplies to civilians in parts of Ukraine that other nongovernmental organizations are unable to reach.
“AFGfree’s mission parallels Nick’s humanitarian efforts,” he said in a statement.
On Tuesday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian Wagner Group mercenary army, displayed what he claimed were the body and identification documents of an American military veteran on the group’s Telegram channel.
According to the Idaho Statesman, relatives identified the body on the video as that of Mr. Maimer.
“Of course, I will hand over the body of the American,” Mr. Prigozhin said.
Mr. Blackburn offered his condolences to the family of the fallen veteran.
“We have always known him to be a humble, compassionate man that carried on the Special Forces motto, ‘De Opresso Liber’ — Free the Oppressed. Nick was a humanitarian at heart,” he said.
Bakhmut has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting between Ukraine and Russia as part of the larger battle for the disputed Donbas region. Russian forces have managed to take most of the city, although Ukraine continues to fight back.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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