The two Americans who were recently killed fighting Russian troops in Ukraine have been identified as Luke Lucyszyn and Bryan Young. Notably, their families confirmed their deaths.
Lucyszyn’s parents and Young’s wife confirmed their names on Sunday. It happened after the State Department formally notified both families of their deaths. Moreover, a department spokesperson originally said two Americans had been killed but did not provide additional information “out of respect” for the families.
The incident took place on July 18
Lucyszyn and Young were among four foreigners who died while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in the country’s disputed Donetsk region. The incident took place on July 18. The two others were identified as Swedish and Canadian citizens, the Ukrainian official said. Their commanding officer told that Lucyszyn was injured by Russian shelling. () And when Young and others went to help him, they were killed by additional tank fire, he said.
Kathryn and George Lucyszyn spoke about the death of their 31-year-old son. He was a father of two. The North Carolina residents said Luke decided to start volunteering as a medic in Ukraine in early April. Moreover, he had asked them to send supplies, like a tactical vest, after noting that his group lacked proper equipment.
“He didn’t go there to be a hero. He went there because he wanted to help people,” said Kathryn, whose husband is Ukrainian. Lucyszyn and Young’s commanding officer said that Young always had a cheerful smile and called him a “good soldier.” Adding to it, he said that, despite Lucyszyn’s young age, “he behaved as a man, as a good soldier.”
Lucyszyn and Young are at least the fifth and sixth Americans to die in the Ukraine war
Since the Russian invasion began, Lucyszyn and Young are at least the fifth and sixth Americans to die in Ukraine. Their deaths came as the war entered its sixth month and Russia continued to launch attacks in different parts of the country.
A Russian missile strike against the port of Odesa on the Black Sea. It came only hours after Moscow and Kyiv signed a U.N.-supported agreement allowing grain exports to resume from there.
The strike was denounced by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. The Ministry called the attack a “spit in the face.” Moreover, the State Department said in a statement that the U.S. “strongly condemns” Russia’s actions, particularly in light of the new exports deal.
