Latest news with #RussianCitizenship
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Woke Dad Who Fled With Family to Russia Sent to War Zone
An American father who moved to Russia to avoid LGBTQ+ 'indoctrination' for his kids is being sent to the front line in Ukraine, despite being assured he would serve in a non-combat role. Derek Huffman, 46, feels he is being 'thrown to the wolves' after being told that his job in the military would be as a correspondent or as a welder, his wife, DeAnna, said in a recorded plea for prayers, which has since been removed from her YouTube page. Huffman has no prior military experience, DeAnna said, adding that his limited training was conducted in Russian. She suggested the language barrier has made her husband particularly unprepared for the horrors of combat. 'Unfortunately, when you're taught in a different language, and you don't understand the language, how are you really getting taught?' she pondered. 'You're not. So, unfortunately, he feels like he's being thrown to the wolves right now, and he's kind of having to lean on faith, and that's what we're all doing.' Huffman joined the military in the hope of gaining Russian citizenship for his family through an expedited process. He also felt such service would allow him to 'earn' the respect of his new countrymen, which is something he once said migrants in the United States refuse to do. 'The point of this act for me is to earn a place here in Russia,' he told Russian state media last month. '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.' Undocumented migrants cannot join the U.S. military during peacetime. A program launched by former President George W. Bush allowed such immigrants to seek citizenship by serving in the military, but that pathway was shuttered during President Donald Trump's first term. DeAnna, 42, suggested her husband had been misled during the military recruiting process. She added that, after a month of service, her family had yet to receive any pay. '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,' she said. '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.' We're the Huffman family — Americans who moved to Russia 2 months ago! Derek (46) has a background in welding & construction, DeAnna (42) is a former teacher & floral designer, and we're raising our 3 daughters (12, 11 & 10) while embracing a whole new life, language, and culture — The Huffman Family (@HuffmanTime) May 21, 2025 Huffman moved his family to a village outside Moscow in spring. It was launched by American blogger Tim Kirby—who has lived in Russia for two decades—in 2023 to attract Americans seeking to escape the 'liberal gender norm.' That project has been a flop, with United24Media reporting that only two families, including the Huffmans, have moved in. Huffman, a native Texan, brought his wife, three daughters, and their family Husky, 'Baby,' with him to Russia. The couple also have three sons from prior marriages who opted to remain in the United States. Huffman's admiration for Russia runs deep. The Russian state-operated news agency RIA Novosti reported last month that the couple honeymooned in Moscow. 'The city charmed us with its rich history, vibrant culture, and welcoming atmosphere,' DeAnna told the outlet. 'Before that, we figured out whether moving to Russia would fit our family's needs and values. However, it wasn't until we saw Moscow in person that we truly felt a connection.' DeAnna said that she was not surprised that her husband wanted to volunteer for the Russian military, even as it is in its third year of a bloody war with Ukraine. Ukrainian officials estimated this week that more than 1 million Russian soldiers have died in the conflict, which continues to rage on despite President Trump's demands for peace. 'It didn't come as a surprise to me,' she said of his joining the military. 'He always spoke so highly of the country, its president, and its people, and he has a strong passion for doing the right thing.'
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Woke Dad Who Fled With Family to Russia Sent to War Zone
An American father who moved to Russia to avoid LGBTQ+ 'indoctrination' for his kids is being sent to the front line against Ukraine despite being assured he would serve in a non-combat role. Derek Huffman, 46, feels he is being 'thrown to the wolves' after being told that his job in the military would be as a correspondent or as a welder, his wife, DeAnna, said in a recorded plea for prayers, which has since been removed from her YouTube page. Huffman has no prior military experience, DeAnna said, adding that his limited training was conducted in Russian. She suggested this language barrier has made her husband particularly unprepared for the horrors of combat. 'Unfortunately, when you're taught in a different language, and you don't understand the language, how are you really getting taught?' she pondered. 'You're not. So, unfortunately, he feels like he's being thrown to the wolves right now, and he's kind of having to lean on faith, and that's what we're all doing.' Huffman joined the military in the hope of gaining Russian citizenship for his family through an expedited process. He also felt such service would allow him to 'earn' the respect of his new countrymen, which is something he once said migrants in the United States refuse to do. 'The point of this act for me is to earn a place here in Russia,' he told Russian state media last month. '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.' Undocumented migrants cannot join the U.S. military during peacetime. A program launched by former President George W. Bush allowed such immigrants to seek citizenship by serving in the military, but that pathway was shuttered during President Donald Trump's first term. DeAnna, 42, suggested her husband had been misled during the military recruiting process. She added that, after a month of service, her family had yet to receive any pay. '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,' she said. '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.' Huffman moved his family to a rural village outside Moscow this spring. It was launched by American blogger Tim Kirby—who has lived in Russia for two decades—in 2023 to attract Americans seeking to escape the 'liberal gender norm.' That project has been a flop, with United24Media reporting that only two families, including the Huffmans, have moved in. Huffman, a native Texan, brought his wife, three daughters, and their family Husky, 'Baby,' with him to Russia. The couple also has three sons from prior marriages who opted to remain in the United States. Huffman's admiration for Russia runs deep. The Russian state-operated news agency RIA Novosti reported last month that the couple honeymooned in Moscow. 'The city charmed us with its rich history, vibrant culture, and welcoming atmosphere,' DeAnna told the outlet. 'Before that, we figured out whether moving to Russia would fit our family's needs and values. However, it wasn't until we saw Moscow in person that we truly felt a connection.' DeAnna said that she was not surprised that her husband wanted to volunteer for the Russian military, even as it is in its third year of a bloody war with Ukraine. Ukrainian officials estimated this week that over a million Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict, which continues to rage on despite Trump's demands for peace. 'It didn't come as a surprise to me,' she said of his joining the military. 'He always spoke so highly of the country, its president, and its people, and he has a strong passion for doing the right thing.'
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Steven Seagal balloons EVEN BIGGER to 400lb: See him waddle around Russia while supporting 'brother' Putin
A ballooned 400lb Steven Seagal was seen strutting his distended tummy through crowds at Moscow 's famous Red Square to show support for The former action star has continued to gain weight during his extended retreat from the public eye: he hasn't posted on social media since December 2021 and has held Russian citizenship since 2016.
Arab News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Putin eases access to Russian citizenship for Georgian breakaway regions
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a decree simplifying access to Russian citizenship for people from two Georgian breakaway regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Under the decree, applicants will no longer be required to permanently reside in Russia to get citizenship, or prove their knowledge of the Russian language or culture. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are recognized by most of the world as Georgian territory, but has been under de-facto Russian control since a brief 2008 war between Moscow and Tbilisi. In Abkhazia, another pro-Russian president recently won an election after the previous one was ousted following tense protests over a bill giving Russians easier access to coastal property along the Black Sea. Georgia and Russia have no diplomatic relations since the 2008 war, but critics accuse the current Georgian ruling party of being pro-Russian, and claim it came to power as a result of a rigged election. Georgia, which shares a border with Russia, declined to join international financial and economic sanctions against Moscow over its Ukraine offensive, or to support Kyiv with military equipment.
