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Americans are dying fighting for Ukraine. Here’s why

(NewsNation) — At the Maidan Square Monument in Kiev, UkrainianA flag is raised for every soldier who died in this war. This includes more than 100 American flags.

At least 118 Americans are estimated to have it Died fighting in Ukraine after volunteering for the war effort. This followed Russia’s attack on Ukraine four years ago.

Bryan Pickens is a former US soldier who served 13 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Later, as a Green Beret, he was assigned to help train Ukrainian forces ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

When he became a senior, he returned with a desire to help Ukraine in its fight for independence.

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“The entire population believes in freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to live the way we do in America,” Pickens said.

He says: “During my time here [Ukrainians] “They idolized the West and America in such a big way as an example of what they wanted and an example of how they wanted to live.”

Uliana Boichuk, a freelance reporter in the United States who works with American families who lost loved ones in Ukraine, says the main reason many Americans are willing to fight and die for another country’s sovereignty is because they believe in Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and democracy, and now that struggle is on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Boichuk adds: “All families said that their sons and husbands are against tyrants” and they believe that “Russia is a tyrant.”

He explains that despite their loss, families understand and appreciate their loved ones’ choice to fight.

“In this whole culture from border to border, when I was training Ukrainians and fighting here now, every single person I met, from the youngest girl to the oldest babushka, would tell you, ‘I will die a Ukrainian before I live as a Russian,’” Pickens said.

Ukrainian battle for sovereignty and survival

For Ukrainians, the war is an existential struggle, a fight for survival, and a war that echoes American values.

Max (full name shortened for security) is the commander of a Ukrainian brigade and says: “Freedom and democracy are values for which I personally fight… [are] It is higher than the independence of Ukraine.”

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He expanded further, saying, “We believe in good and evil, we choose good. We believe in right and wrong, we choose right. And freedom is the greatest value. … That’s a very common thing among Americans. We believe in the American people.”

His colleague in the brigade, Dmytro, added: “We don’t want to be Russian; we just want to be ourselves. And that right to self-determination, I think that’s something that America has always supported throughout its entire existence, and whenever America has been a world-wide actor to defend democracies, to protect people’s freedom of self-determination… that’s what we’re fighting for…. I want to thank the American people for their support.”

At least 100 thousand Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the war with Russia

The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the total number of deaths of Ukrainian soldiers at between 100,000 and 140,000, with between 500,000 and 600,000 wounded or missing. CSIS estimates that Russia lost at least 325,000 soldiers in the war, with almost a million more wounded or missing.

According to many sources, the front lines are in a virtual stalemate, with both the Ukrainian and Russian armies operating at the peak of their capabilities.

At the G7 in France this week, President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and said he had spoken with Russian President Putin about the war. He hopes to help bring closure, although he notes it’s been more difficult than expected.

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