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Two Americans killed in fighting in Ukraine have been identified


A Ukrainian commander over the weekend identified two Americans who were recently killed in the country’s eastern Donbas region.

Ruslan Miroshnichenko, commander of Ukraine, identifies Americans in a Facebook posted as Luke Lucyszyn and Bryan Young, and said they were killed on July 18 along with two other foreigners: Emile-Antoine Roy-Sirois of Canada and Edvard Selander Patrignani of Sweden.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the deaths of two Americans on Friday but did not provide further information about their identities or the circumstances of their deaths, out of respect for their families.

Mr. Young’s family did not immediately respond to messages and calls on Sunday.

A longtime friend of Lucyszyn’s, Corey Mesimer, 29, of Myrtle Beach, SC, confirmed Sunday that his friend’s family had been informed that Mr. Lucyszyn had been killed in battle.

Mr. Lucyszyn, 31, feels a responsibility to travel and fight in Ukraine because his grandmother was born there and he feels close to his heritage, Mr. Mesimer said.

“That’s what he needs to do; He feels very strongly about it,” Mr. Mesimer said by phone on Sunday. “And even talking to him while he was there, he felt that was what he needed to do for Ukraine.”

Mr. Mesimer said that Mr. Lycyszyn, whom he described as “the life of the party,” had lived in Myrtle Beach for the past two years and that the two had both played on the same paintball team there, the Carolina Rage.

But he added that Mr. Lucyszyn had volunteered without prior military experience, which had alarmed some friends. After Mr. Lucyszyn arrives in Ukraine in April, he will message Mr. Mesimer on WhatsApp to check. Lucyszyn often talked about their lack of supplies and being hit by heavy artillery, Mr. Mesimer said.

In their last WhatsApp message from July 8, Mr. Lucyszyn told Mr. Mesimer about where the other foreign troops were coming from.

“Geez they come from all over, right?” Mr. Mesimer replied, and then asked: “How are you?”

“I will be fine,” Mr. Lucyszyn wrote back.

“Glad you’re okay,” Mr. Mesimer replied. Then he sent a final message to Mr. Lucyszyn: “Be safe.”

Victoria Kim contribution report.



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