SUSPECTED in the attempted assassination of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Sunday (15/9), Ryan Routh, apparently lived in Kyiv in the summer of 2022. He told the media that while there, he encouraged people to help the Ukrainian struggle.
CNN, Fox News and The New York Times identified Routh, a 58-year-old Hawaiian, as the suspected gunman. They cited statements from law enforcement officials who declined to be named. The FBI declined to comment and could not independently verify his identity.
“Many other conflicts are gray but this conflict is clearly black and white. It’s about good versus evil,” Routh said in an interview posted by Newsweek Romania in June 2022. His comments indicate that he was in Kyiv at the time, VoA reported Friday (9/20).
About four months after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Routh said the war had reached a crisis stage. He called for more international assistance for Ukraine.
When asked about his activities in Ukraine, Routh explained that his original goal was to fight in the war zone. However, his age and lack of military experience hindered him from doing so. Routh then turned to spreading the cause to others.
“If the government is not going to send in their military, then we, the civilians, have to continue this struggle and we have got some great people here, but it is only a fraction of the number that should be here,” Routh said.
Also read: Profile of Ryan Wesley Routh who allegedly wanted to kill Trump
Hundreds of non-Ukrainians are fighting on the battlefield against Russian forces in Ukraine, while others are involved in recruitment efforts.
Recruitment efforts
The International Legion, where many members serve, said it had no connection to Routh. “We want to clarify that Ryan Wesley Routh has never been a part of, associated with, or connected to the International Legion in any capacity. Any claims or suggestions to the contrary are completely inaccurate,” the group said.
Routh also told Semafor news agency in March 2023 that he was trying to recruit US-trained Afghan troops to help Ukraine fight Russia. However, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has not agreed to grant them visas.
An official source in Kyiv said authorities were investigating his role, if any, in Ukraine. The defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks.
The Semafor article named Routh as the head of the International Volunteer Center, which it said helped foreigners who wanted to provide assistance to Ukraine, either militarily or humanitarianly. (I-2)
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