Ryan Routh, a man who was once considered an advocate for Ukraine by mainstream media outlets such as the Financial Times (FT), Newsweek, and The New York Times, is now making headlines for his alleged connection to Donald Trump’s attempted assassination. This seemingly odd twist of events raises numerous questions about his activities in Ukraine and the potential connections he may have had within the US government.
In 2022, Routh traveled to Ukraine with the goal of recruiting soldiers for its International Legion amidst the ongoing conflict against Russia. He garnered significant media attention as a result of this initiative, even being quoted by several major news sources on behalf of the cause. However, when he arrived in Ukraine, the 52-year-old was deemed too old to enlist and instead sought ways to assist from outside the battlefield.
Routh’s efforts included raising funds for military equipment and attempting to recruit Afghan soldiers who had fled to Pakistan as refugees. Despite his best intentions, many of these endeavors may have placed him on the radar of US intelligence agencies, particularly given his close connections with Ukraine’s neo-Nazi Azov Brigade.
The State Department recently lifted a longstanding ban on providing weapons and training to the Azov Brigade, a group known for its far-right ideology and use of Nazi imagery. Routh had openly discussed his plans to recruit Afghan soldiers and even boasted about purchasing passports for them from Pakistan in order to facilitate their travel to Ukraine. These actions likely raised red flags among intelligence officials.
Routh’s connections with the Azov Brigade are further confirmed by a video that circulated on social media, linking him to the organization. Although the Azov Brigade claimed Routh was never part of the unit and dismissed his involvement as mere Russian propaganda, it is clear that he had numerous ties to Ukraine and its military forces during the ongoing conflict.
Geopolitical analyst Andrew Korybko points out that Routh’s actions would have certainly caught the attention of US intelligence agencies, particularly given his radicalized views and willingness to recruit foreign fighters for a cause backed by mainstream media outlets. The FBI may eventually admit that Routh was “on their radar,” but further investigation is needed to determine if he had any assistance from within the US government during his time in Ukraine.
As public evidence continues to mount, it becomes increasingly apparent that Ryan Routh’s connection to Donald Trump’s attempted assassination is far more complex than initially believed. While mainstream media outlets once portrayed him as a mere advocate for Ukraine, it now appears that he may have had deeper ties to the conflict and its various factions.
The questions remain: what did the US government know about this radicalized individual and when did they know it? Did Routh receive help from US government officials during his time in Ukraine? And perhaps most importantly, why wasn’t he investigated years ago.
