The US Department of State confirmed today the death of another US citizen in the Russian-initiated war in Ukraine. A spokesman offered “sincerest condolences” to the family of the deceased but did not immediately name the person who died and made no further comments on the nature of his death.
The victim, however, has been named in a post by his sister on Facebook.
“My brother Jimmy Hill was killed yesterday in Chernihiv, Ukraine,” Cheryl Hill Gordon wrote.
Positive Identification
The dead American was indeed determined to be 68-year-old James Whitney Hill of Driggs, Idaho. This identification was confirmed by Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry.
Hill had been trapped in a local hospital in Chernihiv, where his partner, a Ukrainian woman named Irina, was being treated for multiple sclerosis.
Mr. Hill had written the following description of his situation on his Facebook profile:
“Currently with Partner in Chernihiv, Ukraine. The city has been under attack by Russian invaders for 2 weeks trying to live in the moment and be aware of how my behaviors directly impact or influence those around me. Ever-changing, ever learning and ever adjusting…..,”
Mr. Hill died as the result of Russian combat operations in the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv
Local Russian police have also reported the death of the American after heavy Russian shelling of the northern Ukrainian city. There are conflicting reports on how Mr. Hill may have died.
His sister wrote: “He was waiting in a bread line with several other people when they were gunned down by Russian military [snipers]. His body was found in the street by the local police.”
The State Department informed the press that the American was killed “amid reports of a heavy artillery attack on civilians.”
Talk of Trying to Escape
On the 14th, Hill posted on Facebook about the possibility of trying to escape the carnage.
From Hill’s Facebook account posted on March 14
On the 15th, he posted more about their situation. “Intense bombing! Still alive. Limited food. The room is very cold. Ira in intensive care.”
Hill is the second American to die in the war-torn nation in the past week. Brent Renaud, an award-winning journalist on assignment for Time, and a former New York Times contributor, was killed by Russian forces near Kyiv on Sunday.
After hearing the news of Renaud’s death, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that Russia will face “appropriate consequences.”
This is breaking news; SOFREP will report additional details as they become available.
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