Russian Soldiers Sentenced Over Death Of American Fighting For Kremlin In Ukraine

"A court in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine sentenced four Russian soldiers over the death last year of Russell Bentley, a US citizen who as the "Donbas Cowboy" gained notoriety for joining Russia-backed forces in eastern Ukraine. The court in the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk sentenced two of the soldiers, Major Vitaly Vansyatsky and Lieutenant Andrei Iordanov, to 12 years in a penal colony, while Sergeant Vladislav Agaltsev received an 11-year prison sentence. A fourth soldier, Vladimir Bazhin, was handed 1 1/2 years for helping cover up Bentley's death."

"The four were found guilty of killing Bentley after mistaking him for a US saboteur. Russian authorities said an investigation showed he had been tortured before being killed. His abductors then tried to cover up the death by detonating a car containing his body. Bentley, 64, was a fixture in the low-level Russian incursion in Ukraine dating back to 2014. Hailing from Texas and calling himself the Donbas Cowboy, Bentley became a popular figure on Russian propaganda networks for his criticism of the US government."

"They demanded that Bentley present his documents and explain his reason for being there, to which he introduced himself as a reporter, having worked for Russian state-controlled news agency Sputnik. Vansyatsky then "reported to the military unit command that he had identified a saboteur." He received orders to deliver Bentley to the command post, after which he instructed Iordanov to detain the American. Bentley was placed in a car, beaten, and tortured, which resulted in his death."

Four Russian soldiers in Donetsk were convicted over the death of Russell Bentley, a 64-year-old US citizen known as the "Donbas Cowboy." Major Vitaly Vansyatsky and Lieutenant Andrei Iordanov received 12-year penal colony terms, Sergeant Vladislav Agaltsev received 11 years, and Vladimir Bazhin received 1.5 years for concealing the crime. Investigators found Bentley was seized on April 8, 2024 while preparing to film, identified as a supposed saboteur, beaten, tortured and killed. His body was placed in a car that was detonated, and remains were later burned during an attempted cover-up. Bentley had worked for Sputnik and supported Russia-backed forces since 2014.

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