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Russell Bentley

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Russell Bentley
Рассел Бентли
Personal details
Born1960 (age 63–64)
Austin, Texas, U.S.
CitizenshipRussia
ResidenceDonetsk
Military service
AllegianceRussia
Branch/service
Years of service2014–present
Battles/wars

Russell Bonner Bentley III[1] (Russian: Рассел Бентли, romanized: Rassel Bentli; born 1960), also known as "Texas" and the "Donbass Cowboy", 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][failed verification] Prior to his activities in the Donbas, he was a marijuana activist and smuggler who was later convicted of drug smuggling and spent 5 years in prison.

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]

Biography

Early life

Bentley was born in 1960 in Austin, and grew up in Highland Park, Texas until he was eight. As a teenager, Bentley began to read leftist literature and became a socialist. At 16, he attended high school for one semester before dropping out. Bentley later got his GED, and at age 20, was convinced by his father to join the US Army. He served in the army for three years, and was stationed in Louisiana and Germany. After being honorably discharged from the army, he moved to South Padre Island where he worked as a waiter.[3][4]

Marijuana activism, drug conviction and imprisonment

In 1990, Bentley moved to Minneapolis. Initially working as a lumberjack, he found it easier to sell marijuana instead. He became a marijuana activist, joining the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and the pro-legalization Grassroots Party. At age 30, he ran as a US Senate third-party candidate for the Grassroots Party in the 1990 election, gathering 1.65% of the vote. In the mid-90s, Bentley would also visit communist Cuba, where he was convinced switch from being a socialist into a communist.[3][4] In February 1996, Bentley's house was raided by the police and he was arrested for felony trafficking. He received a sentence of 5 years and 3 months. Although he was supposed to be released at the end of 1999, in August 1999, Bentley escaped from prison. He lived as a fugitive until 2007, when he was captured and sent to a maximum-security prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. He was released from prison the following summer.[3][4]

Separatism

By 2014, Bentley was working as an arborist in Round Rock, Texas.[5] 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.[4] He arrived in Donetsk on December 7, 2014.[2] He utilized crowdfunding platforms to finance his involvement in the Ukraine conflict, setting up a GoFundMe campaign to finance his move to the Donbas on a self-described "Fact Finding Mission to Donbass".[6]

Military and political stance

Bentley decided to fight for the Donetsk People's Republic after being moved by the actions of Ukrainian forces.[failed verification] 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]

Disappearance

According to the local Russian-controlled police, Bentley went missing on April 8, 2024.[7]

Electoral History

1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Paul Wellstone 911,999 50.49%
Ind.-Republican Rudy Boschwitz (incumbent) 864,375 47.86%
Grassroots Russell B. Bentley 29,820 1.65%
Total votes 1,806,194 100.00%

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Sengupta, Kim (September 24, 2015). "Ukraine crisis: Meet the foreign nationals fighting for the Donetsk People's Republic". The Independent. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Exclusive: Russell Bentley, Texas Man in Russian Army, Says He's 'Liberating' Ukraine". Newsweek. March 3, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Smith, Sonia (March 21, 2018). "War of Words: Meet the Texan Trolling for Putin". Texas Monthly. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Dickinson, Tim (March 3, 2022). "The Bizarre Story of How a Hardcore Texas Leftist Became a Frontline Putin Propagandist". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Who is Russell Bonner Bentley? Texas Man 'On the Front With Russian Troops' in Ukraine". Newsweek. March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  6. ^ "The communist soldier using charity sites to fund his war". BBC News. July 24, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  7. ^ "American missing in Russian-controlled east Ukraine, say local police". Reuters. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  8. ^ "Our Campaigns - MN US Senate Race - Nov 06, 1990".

External links

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