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A retired US Special Forces soldier, Nicholas Maimer, lost his life in Bakhmut, Ukraine, following an alleged building collapse during a Russian artillery attack. This information comes from US officials, Russian paramilitary leader claims, and various media outlets.
Maimer, who retired from the National Guard as a staff sergeant, had been working alongside a non-profit organization to help civilians and train Ukrainian soldiers, as reported by CNN. Maimer’s fellow Americans in Ukraine confirmed his involvement.
The Idaho National Guard, where Maimer honorably retired on December 24, 2018, expressed condolences to his family. Lt. Col. Christopher Borders stated in a phone interview that their “hearts and prayers are with the family of Nicholas Maimer, along with his friends in the community.”
Maimer’s military career involved serving in the active-duty Army, the Idaho Army National Guard, and stints in the Utah and California Guard. He obtained his Special Forces tab in 2005 while serving with a Utah unit and was qualified as a Special Forces engineer sergeant, infantryman, cavalry scout, and tank crewman.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group private military corporation, claimed in a video posted on Telegram that Maimer had been fighting against his troops. The Russian oligarch paid tribute to Maimer, stating that he “deserved respect because he did not die in his bed as a grandpa but he died at war,” according to a CNN translation.
While Military Times could not independently verify the video’s authenticity, Maimer’s uncle confirmed to the Idaho Statesman that the body shown in the video was his nephew’s.
A State Department spokesperson, speaking anonymously, informed Military Times that they are aware of the reports regarding the death of a US citizen in Bakhmut and are seeking more information. They reiterated the advice that US citizens should avoid travel to Ukraine due to ongoing armed conflict.
It remains unclear if Maimer had prior combat experience before his time in Ukraine. Maimer’s record of awards and decorations does not include any specific War on Terror expeditionary ribbons or combat badges, but transferring between states multiple times can make compiling Guard troops’ service records challenging.
Maimer served a deployment in the Philippines as a Utah National Guard Special Forces sergeant from September 2006 until May 2007. During his 20-year career, Maimer received at least one Army Commendation Medal and five Army Achievement Medals, according to Borders.
Source: CNN
