A former US Marine was killed last week while evacuating civilians in Ukraine, according to his family and colleagues.
26-year-old Cooper “Harris” Andrews of Cleveland, Ohio was working with the activist group Resistance Committee when he was killed on the outskirts of Bakhmut, per CNN.
Andrews’ mother, Willow Andrews, said he was hit by a mortar on the “Road of Life,” an access road into Bakhmut used by the Ukrainian military to resupply their forces and evacuate civilians.
The marine vet initially left Cleveland in November to join Ukraine’s Foreign Legion, which consists of a group of foreign fighters that help the Ukrainian military. Andrews’ contract ended in March, but he decided to continue helping in Ukraine, his mom said.
On Monday (May 1), the US Department of State said in a statement that it could “confirm the death of a US citizen in Ukraine.”
“We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance,” a State Department spokesperson said. “Out of respect for the family’s privacy during this difficult time, we have nothing further to add.”
Andrews’ body has yet to be recovered, according to his mother.
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