A former US Navy SEAL was killed this week in Ukraine, US officials said Friday. They said he was not fighting in an official capacity.
Daniel W. Swift is a former Navy SEAL listed in official records as a deserter as of March 2019. The Navy did not provide additional information about his U.S. military history, but said, “We cannot speculate as to why the former Marine was in Ukraine.”
The Navy said Swift was killed Wednesday.
At least five other Americans are known to have died fighting in Ukraine, according to State Department statements and individual family reports.
The US government has discouraged Americans from fighting in Ukraine, citing concerns that they could be captured by Russian forces and held hostage. At least 6,000 people contacted the Ukrainian embassy in Washington in the first weeks of the war, asking for information about volunteering on behalf of Ukraine.
Half of the potential volunteers were quickly rejected due to lack of military experience, criminal records or otherwise unfit for duty, Ukraine’s military attache said last year.
Countless numbers of Americans have joined foreign combat units in support of Kiev. Others volunteer with aid groups and human rights organizations.
The State Department declined to specifically address Swift’s death, but said in a statement that it could confirm the recent death of an American citizen in Ukraine.
“We are in contact with his family and are providing him with all possible consular assistance,” the department said.
Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.
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