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(TJV) The US Army is providing medical treatment to wounded American volunteers who have joined Ukraine’s foreign legion and other militias. This is occurring more frequently at the US Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, marking a significant development in the United States’ growing involvement in the conflict.
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a prominent Pentagon medical facility in Germany, has traditionally served as the primary treatment center in Europe for injured American troops evacuated from war zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
According to a New York Times investigation, Landstuhl Hospital has begun admitting Ukrainian Army soldiers wounded in combat, many of whom are American volunteers. This is unusual since the hospital typically treats active-duty personnel. The report highlighted a recent incident where a group of Ukrainian Army soldiers injured by Russian grenades and mortar shells required surgery. What made this scene distinct was that the majority of the wounded soldiers were American.
While the current number of American volunteers receiving care at the hospital is relatively small, at 14 individuals, it signifies a significant escalation in the United States’ role in the conflict. It’s important to note that there are believed to be hundreds of American volunteers fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, a number that may have been much higher during the early stages of the war when Ukraine called for foreign volunteers and mercenaries.
In contrast to the initial narrative of Ukraine’s “winning” the war, there has been a substantial shift in the storyline, particularly centered around the failed counteroffensive.
The New York Times report noted that an unspecified number of American volunteers have been wounded or killed in combat. Many of the injured individuals had previously relied on Ukrainian hospitals and Western charities for medical assistance. Now, the Pentagon has stepped in to offer them medical care similar to that provided to active-duty American troops.
These American volunteers in Ukraine include those who have contracted directly with Ukraine’s military and those who have volunteered with local militias. After nearly 19 months of conflict, this report is the first to list 20 American deaths in Ukraine, a higher figure than previously disclosed.
