Former Navy SEAL dies in Ukraine; sixth-known American to be killed in conflict

A former US Navy SEAL Commando Daniel Swift was killed on January 19 while fighting in Ukraine’s Dnipro city, friends and officials said. Swift, who deserted his military post in 2019, died from wounds sustained while fighting against a Russian offensive in Dnipro city, an official was cited by the New York Post as informing on the condition of anonymity.  

Notably, Swift’s death marks the sixth known American casualty in Ukraine since the onset of Russia’s special military operation which was launched on February 24, 2022. Ukrainian forces in Dnipro are currently holding off an offensive by the Russian military. Furthermore, the city was recently targeted by Russia in a brutal missile attack. A former US Army Ranger and an associate of Daniel Swift, Adam Thiemann told Rolling Stone that Swift sustained injuries on the night of January 14 after he and two other soldiers were struck by an RPG launched by Russian troops. According to Thiemann, Swift died on January 19 morning following a massive brain injury while two of his counterparts are in recovery.  

US advises Ukraine to hold off counter-offensive against Russia

Senior US officials have advised Ukrainian forces to hold off launching a major counteroffensive against Russian forces until the US is able to set in place its latest supply of weaponry for Ukraine in addition to provisions of training for Ukrainian troops, a senior Washington official told ABC News.  

Meanwhile, the official informed reporters that the United States currently has no plans to supply Ukraine with US Army’s Abrams Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) amid a controversy with Germany over Leopard 2 tanks. However, President Joe Biden approved a new $2.5 billion military-aid package for Ukraine this week. When asked if he supports Poland’s bid to send German-manufactured Leopard 2s to Ukraine’s frontlines, Biden said, "Ukraine is going to get all the help they need."

Germany is facing growing pressure to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks. However, a 50-nation meeting at Germany’s Ramstein airbase yielded no results with regard to the much-demanded tanks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy telling defence ministers at the meeting, "Hundreds of thank yous are not hundreds of tanks."

Image: AP