Posted on 08/20/2014 4:51:48 PM PDT by lodi90
Mark Gregory Paslawsky, the sole American fighting on the Ukrainian side of the war in the east of the country, died from injuries sustained in battle in the town of Ilovaysk on Tuesday.
Known by the codename "Franko," the 55-year-old investment banker was a Manhattan native, and had a slight limp and a pronounced New York accent, making him seem an unlikely candidate for a soldier in an eastern European war that has already claimed more than 2,000 lives.
VICE News interviewed Paslawsky in early August in the Luhansk region where he had been deployed with the volunteer Donbas Battalion. He said he decided to take up arms against the separatist Russia-backed rebellion because of his family's Ukrainian background, as well as the frustration and helplessness that came with watching news reports on Ukraine's deteriorating situation after Moscow's annexation of Crimea.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.vice.com ...
WOW! This guy put his beliefs on the line. I have to give him a lot of credit. 55 years old at that.
He must have been a very interesting, and brave, guy. It reminds me of the Americans who went to fight in the Spanish civil war or flew with the Flying Tigers.
I hope we have plenty of the likes of him here when the time comes.
Joh_15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
“He really hated the Russians. We all hate the Russians.”
Franko was quite a character no doubt. He posted on twitter until a couple days before he was KIA:
https://twitter.com/BSpringnote
The quote “He really hated the Russians. We all hate the Russians” was from the article.
It is the Russian people’s responsibility to get rid of the thugs ruling Russia not cheer them on.
US Army vet, 1981 West Point grad.
A brave man, who fought for what he believed in. May he rest in peace, Amen. Down with Putin, one way or another.
Земля Вам пухом.
Funeral is Monday in Kiev. He will receive a decoration from Ukraine also.
OP and reply 10
Mark Gregory Paslawsky
VIDEO JOURNALISM - 2014
VICE NEWS brings you on-the-ground coverage in 2014
“Russian Roulette in Ukraine”
VICE News
113 videos [on the ground coverage]
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw613M86o5o5zqF6WJR8zuC7Uwyv76h7R
There must be a typo, he couldn't have graduated from the Point when he was 12.
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