{"id":47576,"date":"2022-06-21T18:03:27","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T18:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/06\/21\/army-vet-killed-fighting-in-ukraine-report\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:37:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:37:40","slug":"army-vet-killed-fighting-in-ukraine-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2022\/06\/21\/army-vet-killed-fighting-in-ukraine-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Army vet killed fighting in Ukraine: report"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A U.S. citizen was killed fighting in Ukraine last month, State Department officials confirmed, marking the third American to die in the years-long war that expanded in February when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department said Tuesday that Stephen Zabielski had died in Ukraine and that it is in touch with his family to provide consular support and assistance. \u201cOut of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have nothing further,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zabielski, a Florida resident who reportedly served in the Army, was killed on May 15 by a land mine while fighting with Ukraine\u2019s International Legion of Territorial Defense, according to Rolling Stone<\/a>. Zabielski died fighting in the country\u2019s southeast, which has become the war\u2019s focal point after Ukraine successfully stopped the Russian military\u2019s attempt to capture the capital of Kyiv during the war\u2019s early weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Rolling Stone, Zabielski was serving as part of an English-speaking squad that called themselves \u201cthe Wolverines,\u201d in an apparent reference to the movie Red Dawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An unknown number of U.S. veterans and foreign volunteers from other countries responded to Ukraine\u2019s calls for international volunteers with combat experience during the early weeks of the renewed invasion. The International Legion, which requires its troops to officially enlist in Ukraine\u2019s military in accordance with the Geneva Convention, formed from those volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But some foreign volunteers have joined a number of paramilitary and militia units that are incorporated into the country\u2019s armed forces, such as the Georgian National Legion<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t