Did Derek Huffman Die? American Man Ends in Ukraine War Zone After Fleeing from the US to Escape Woke America
Huffman allegedly took advantage of the Kremlin-backed visa programme that attracted westerners who were against liberal ideals. The American man described it as "a fresh start in a country that respects family values". But his dreams of leading a quiet life with the family members in Russia took a dramatic turn. The father of three has been reportedly sent to the frontlines of the Ukraine war zone to fight for Putin.
The Texan father was initially promised a non-combat role and posted as a welder in the Russian military. He was then recruited as a war correspondent before sending him to an alarming war zone, according to his wife. She said her husband now finds himself close to the battlefield. DeAnna Huffman said her husband received limited military training in Russia and has been "thrown to the wolves".
The Last Message
Mr Huffman's family now awaits an update about him in fear since he had only minimal instructions before being deployed. She added that her husband is "leaning on faith" to survive. He had his last communication with the family on Father's Day in June when they received a video clip. The video featured him in full camouflage.
"I miss you all more than you can imagine. I can't wait to see you, hopefully, I get a vacation at some point and I get to go home and spend a couple of weeks with you. But man, you're on my mind 24/7 and just know that what I'm doing is important to me and important to our family. Just know I will do whatever it takes to be safe and to come home to you. Take care of each other," the Texan father said in the video clip.
Though the family has not heard from him, they insist that he is doing fine. A YouTube channel, which has been deleted, directed its followers to a Telegram group titled Save the Little Girls. It is unclear who created this group, but it has an emotional photo featuring DeAnna and her three daughters crying in the streets. The image was accompanied by a plea - "We are asking the United States government to save this family".
Derek Huffman with his wife and three daughters. X
Reason to Flee America
The family decided to flee the country due to his growing frustration from progressive teachings in schools. Mr Huffman said after moving from Arizona to Texas that he was horrified to know his daughter was expected to discuss lesbian relationships in school. He called that moment the final straw.
The American man sealed the deal in 2023 during a scouting trip to Moscow. He and his wife claimed that they found the country safer, cleaner, and More in tune with their values. Upon reaching Russia, the family quickly settled into an expat commune, established by pro-Kremlin US blogger Tim Kirby.
The community, known as the American Village, attracted two families to date, and the Huffmans are one of them. The Texan father was eager to prove his loyalty to Russia and insisted that he was not searching for handouts.
"The point of this act for me is to earn a place here in Russia. If I risk myself for our new country, no one will say that I am not a part of it. Unlike migrants in America who come there just like that, do not assimilate, and at the same time want free handouts," Daily Mail quoted Mr Huffman.
However, his wife said that her husband was misled and will be put on the frontlines.
"When he signed up and had all of that done, he was told he would not be training for two weeks and going straight to the front lines. But, it seems as though he is getting one more week of training, closer to the front lines, and then they are going to put him on the front lines. Being alone in a new country, raising kids, and trying to stay strong has tested me in ways I never imagined," she shared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Russia's night attack on Kyiv leaves eight injured, including child, Ukraine says
KYIV - A Russian overnight air attack on Kyiv wounded eight residents of an apartment building, including a three-year-old child, authorities in the Ukrainian capital said on Monday. Four of those injured in the attack, which took place soon after midnight on Monday, have been hospitalised, with one person in serious condition, the head of Kyiv's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said on the Telegram messaging app. Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that all of the people were residents of a multi-storey apartment building in the city's Darnytskyi district on the left bank of the Dnipro River. "The blast wave damaged windows from the 6th to the 11th floor," Klitschko said in a post on Telegram. The capital and most of Ukraine were under air raid alerts for several hours overnight following Ukrainian Air Force warnings of Russian missile and drone attacks. With the threat of missile strikes on western parts of Ukraine that border Poland - a NATO member - Polish armed forces scrambled aircraft to ensure the safety of Polish airspace. The central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi came under an attack, regional Governor Andriy Raikovych said, adding that emergency services were working on the site and information about potential damage will be released later on Monday. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Authorities say access to Changi intertidal areas unaffected by reclamation, in response to petition Singapore SIA flights between S'pore and Cambodia, S'pore and Thailand, operating normally amid border dispute Singapore Police statements by doctor in fake vaccine case involving Iris Koh allowed in court: Judge Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng The full scale of the Russian attack on Ukraine was not immediately known. Reuters' witnesses heard loud blasts shaking the city of Kyiv overnight in what sounded like air defence units in operation. There was no comment from Russia on the attack. Both sides deny targeting civilians in their strikes in the war that Russia started in February 2022. But thousands of civilians have died in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian. REUTERS
Business Times
an hour ago
- Business Times
South Korea pitches Trump on shipyards for last-minute trade deal
[SEOUL] South Korea is pitching the US on a shipbuilding partnership as a key proposal to seal a last-minute agreement to avoid a 25 per cent tariff rate. While details remain unclear, Yonhap News reported that South Korea has proposed a multi-billion dollar project dubbed 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again'. South Korea's Industry Ministry declined to comment. 'We confirmed the US side's strong interest in the shipbuilding sector and the two countries agreed to work together to develop mutually acceptable terms that include shipbuilding cooperation,' South Korea's presidential office said on Saturday (Jul 26). As countries across Asia clinched deals last week, Seoul's negotiators have been racing to stay engaged with their US counterparts as Washington shifted its focus to the European Union and China. The US and EU announced a pact on Sunday that will see the bloc face 15 per cent tariffs on most of its exports to the US, including automobiles. The latest agreement, which follows a Japan deal last week, adds to the pressure on Asia's fourth-largest economy to clinch a deal. South Korea, where negotiations have been slowed by internal political turmoil, is one of the biggest Asian economies to still be without a deal. Aside from China, other major exporters in the region that are in the thick of negotiations include India and Taiwan. South Korea's finance and foreign ministers are set to meet with their US counterparts this week in a last-minute bid to close the negotiations and the government in Seoul has said the two countries are committed to making a deal before US President Donald Trump's Aug 1 deadline. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Also on the table is increased access to South Korea's agricultural market, as well as a fund to invest in American projects similar to an agreement Japan struck. Under the deal, the two sides touted a US$550 billion fund as part of the agreement on the tariff rate dropping to 15 per cent. The South Korean talks are similarly focused on reaching a 15 per cent tariff rate, including for autos, and the recent proposals suggest a comparable structure. Putting agricultural imports on the table raises the stakes for South Korea's new government. Past efforts to open the country's beef market sparked nationwide protests and any shift on rice imports could face even stiffer resistance. Barring a deal, Bloomberg Economics estimates a 1.7 per cent hit to South Korea's gross domestic product, with market volatility and uncertainty threatening to push the GDP losses beyond that. Overseas shipments were equivalent to more than 40 per cent of South Korea's GDP last year. 'Japan's trade deal paints a positive backdrop but also sets a high bar for others,' Morgan Stanley economist Kathleen Oh said in a note last week. 'Korea and Taiwan may need to ramp up new investment schemes to increase agricultural and energy imports and expand market access, as seen in Japan's case.' BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Boeing emerges as a winner in Trump's trade wars
US President Donald Trump and President and CEO of Boeing Kelly Ortberg attending a roundtable discussion in Doha, Qatar, in May. WASHINGTON - There are typically not many winners in a trade war, but Boeing appears to be reaping some rewards from the one started by US President Donald Trump. The aerospace company has received a steady stream of new orders as part of trade deals between the United States and other countries. These sales could be a boon for Boeing as it emerges from years of bruising crises. They also allow Mr Trump to claim that his unconventional trade policies are helping American manufacturing. Orders for hundreds of Boeing jets have been announced in deals with Indonesia and Japan in Jult, as well as Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar earlier in 2025. 'Ever since his first term, his trade deals have generally involved these kinds of purchase agreements,' said Mr Bruce Hirsh, a trade policy expert at Capitol Counsel, a lobbying firm in Washington that has clients in the aerospace industry. 'Our trading partners know this, so they're looking for these kinds of big-ticket items that they can offer to purchase.' Some aviation analysts are sceptical that US trade negotiators had to twist arms to persuade countries to buy Boeing planes. Airlines, including those controlled by foreign governments, plan such expensive purchases carefully and over months, if not years. Moreover, airlines have few choices, since Boeing and Airbus of France are the only two suppliers of large commercial jets. Still, those experts said, it was not surprising that Mr Trump and his aides have made a point of highlighting new Boeing orders as part of their trade deals. The company employs tens of thousands of Americans and is one of the country's top exporters. Wall Street has also taken note of the announcement of new orders, and Boeing's share price has climbed steadily since early April, when Mr Trump announced steep new tariffs on many countries. Analysts note that the trade deal announcements could generate even more orders. That is because customers who have not placed orders may feel pressure to buy planes now or risk having to wait when they need them. Planes ordered today will typically be delivered years from now. Boeing, which declined to comment for this article, has seemed to welcome Mr Trump's interest in its business. Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg joined Mr Trump on a May visit to the Middle East, during which the Qatar deal was announced. 'If the president of the country says, 'Come with me and be certain that we sign something big that says there will be many jobs in the US', what will you do?' said Mr Adam Pilarski, president of Avitas, an aviation consulting firm. But Mr Pilarski and other experts cautioned that the orders might not be nearly as substantial as they seemed. The administration, other countries and Boeing have offered few details about the deals, suggesting that at least some are still subject to complex negotiations between the manufacturer and airlines. In July, for example, Mr Trump said Indonesia had agreed to buy 50 Boeing jets. Later, however, an Indonesian official said the deal was still being hashed out between Garuda, a state-owned airline, and Boeing. 'I suspect these orders are, as we used to joke at air shows, Mouthls – memoranda of understanding to have lunch,' said Mr Richard Aboulafia, a managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a consulting firm. 'The real hard work of contract negotiation and finance package negotiation takes place after the President's plane has left the country.' Even if the orders are confirmed with formal contracts, many probably would have been placed even without Mr Trump's intervention, experts said. In May, Qatar Airways, a large airline that operates many long-distance flights, placed an order for 150 of Boeing's wide-body planes. The announcement was notably thorough. 'They involved press conferences, shaking hands, everything but the proverbial kissing of the babies,' said Mr Courtney Miller, managing director of Visual Approach Analytics, an aviation consulting firm. That deal, he said, probably would have been placed anyway, even if the timing had been accelerated to align with Mr Trump's visit. While some orders may be the result of real political pressure, even then a lot can change by the time the planes are ready to be delivered. Boeing and Airbus each have thousands of planes on order, accounting for many years of production. In that time, airlines can back out of agreements, though they may have to forfeit deposits. Customers can also ask Boeing or Airbus to delay deliveries or reduce their orders. A manufacturer may be willing to make such changes, especially if doing so will allow it to sell those planes to another airline that is desperate for new jets. The tariffs Mr Trump has imposed may threaten the financial health of Boeing's suppliers, and the prospects of retaliation by US trading partners like the European Union could hurt the plane maker's sales. Last week, budget airline Ryanair said it would consider deferring deliveries of Boeing planes if European officials imposed tariffs on American planes. European leaders may take other steps that could hurt Boeing. If the trade deals that the US strikes with other countries give Boeing too big an advantage, Europe could try to entice other countries to order more planes from Airbus, experts said. 'If this game is going to be played, the question is, in the long term, who plays it better?' Mr Miller said. 'It has reopened a very old dynamic of aligning aircraft and airline economics with geopolitical favour.' NYTIMES
