Who Is Daniel Martindale? American Who Just Got Russian Citizenship As Reward For Ukraine Job

Daniel Martindale, an American citizen who assisted Russian forces from within eastern Ukraine, was officially granted Russian citizenship in Moscow, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing state TV. Media footage from the event circulating on social media showed Martindale holding up his new Russian passport, smiling.

A New Citizen of Russia

“I, Daniel Richard Martindale, voluntarily and consciously, accepting the citizenship of the Russian Federation, swear to observe the constitution,” he could be seen ssying in Russian during the televised ceremony.

“The belief that Russia is not just my home, but also my family — I am extremely glad that this is not only in my heart, but also by law,” Martindale further said, according to Reuters.

From Rural America to Donetsk

Martindale’s background, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, includes a childhood spent on farms in upstate New York and Indiana, followed by years in rural China with his missionary parents. Reports suggest a brief trip to Russia during that time sparked his fascination with the country.

He moved to Vladivostok in 2018 to study Russian and teach English but was deported in 2019 reportedly for violating labor laws. Martindale later settled in southern Poland, the report said.

Just before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he entered Ukraine and travelled to the eastern Donetsk region where he reportedly contacted pro-Russian fighters via Telegram and passed them intelligence on Ukrainian military positions.

Denis Pushilin, the Kremlin-backed head of Donetsk, handed Martindale his documents, saying they were issued by presidential decree. 

According to the report, he thanked Martindale for his “loyalty and actions,” adding that some of Martindale’s intelligence was used in Russia’s efforts to seize Kurakhove, near the strategic city of Pokrovsk.

“For us, this (the Russian passport) is a sign of respect and a sign of gratitude for what Daniel has done,” Reuters quoted Pushilin as saying.

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