An American citizen named Derek Huffman, a father of many children, traveled to Russia to fight on Russia's side, addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, and expressed his gratitude for granting him Russian citizenship. This event is noteworthy amidst the trend of people from various countries accepting Russian citizenship and the political changes occurring in Russia's political arena.
Redaksiya reports, citing TASS news agency, that the volunteer from the United States stated that it was a great honor for him to officially become a Russian citizen and that he was proud of it. He said he thanked President Putin, Russia, and the Russian people who supported him and his family, welcoming them with open arms. The serviceman noted that the country accepted him and his family. He had applied for citizenship before going into military service. The soldier learned that he and his family would become Russian citizens during his leave.
Huffman moved from the US to Russia in 2025. He signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense and continues his service in the Special Military Operation zone. He and his wife have three daughters aged 10, 11, and 12. In 2022, they decided to move from Arizona to Texas because they were concerned about the influence of LGBT propaganda, but this soon became the norm for all states, and the family left the country. Earlier, EADaily reported that mercenaries from the US and Romania in the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed in the Special Military Operation zone.