On 15 September, 58-year-old American Ryan Wesley Routh attempted to attack US presidential candidate Donald Trump, marking the second such occurrence in two months. Routh, a construction worker with no military background, quickly drew attention for his alleged connections to Ukraine. Reports highlighted his visits to the country, vocal support for Kyiv, and purported attempts to recruit for Ukraine’s Foreign Legion.
Russian media swiftly seized on these links, attempting to tie Routh to Ukrainian “Nazis” – a term often misused in their propaganda. However, investigations revealed that despite Routh’s apparent pro-Ukraine stance, the Ukrainian Foreign Legion had actively distanced itself from him, even suggesting they would support barring his entry to the country.
To clarify Routh’s actual ties to Ukraine, Euromaidan Press has compiled five key facts about the case, suggesting Routh may be dealing with mental health issues.
1. Routh visited Ukraine but found disappointment
Ryan Wesley Routh arrived in Ukraine shortly after the Russian invasion began in 2022. During his five-month stay, he posted photos from Kyiv’s central square and publicly supported Ukraine.
Routh appeared in a video advocating for the release of Ukrainian POWs from the Azov Brigade, captured in Russian-occupied Mariupol. However, Azov representatives clarified that Routh had no official connection to their organization, noting the demonstration was open to the public.
Newsweek Romania journalist Remus Cernea met Routh in Kyiv in June 2022, where the American was encouraging people to join the Foreign Legion or support humanitarian aid efforts.
“For me, it’s a surprise because I viewed him as an idealistic innocent genuine person, without any murderous instinct,” Cernea told CNN following news of Routh’s detention in the US.
According to Cernea, Routh described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a “black and white… good versus evil” war.
Despite that, in 2023 Routh wrote a self-published $2.99 book on the ‘unwinnable’ war in Ukraine. He revealed the International Legion rejected him due to lack of combat experience, and he ne
ver reached the front lines. Routh expressed disappointment with Ukrainian authorities and citizens, claiming they showed little respect to foreigners.
While Routh portrayed himself as a key figure among Ukraine’s foreign supporters in media appearances, his own writings suggest he struggled to establish meaningful connections within the country.
2. Routh tried to join Ukraine’s International Legion, but his “bizarre” plans backfired
The International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine reportedly rejected Ryan Wesley Routh due to his lack of military experience and age.
“Ryan Wesley Routh was never part of the International Legion, was not connected to it, and had no relation to it whatsoever,” an official statement from the Legion confirmed.
A Ukrainian military source, speaking to The Telegraph, revealed that the Legion had considered requesting Routh’s ban from Ukraine due to his “bizarre” schemes.
“He was never in Ukraine in any official capacity. He simply decided that he was going to come here and save the day himself, by doing his own thing,” the source stated.
The same source, who never met Routh in person, reported contacting him multiple times to halt activities described as “bizarre and alarming.”
3. Routh promised Ukraine hundreds of Afghan soldiers, but they “never materialized”
In 2023, Ryan Wesley Routh told the New York Times he was attempting to recruit Afghan soldiers who had fled the Taliban for service in Ukraine. He claimed dozens were interested and planned to relocate them from Pakistan and Iran.
A July Facebook post from Routh urged soldiers to be patient while he sought Ukraine’s acceptance of Afghan recruits. His account is now empty.
New York Times journalist Thomas Gibbons-Neff, who interviewed Routh, reported that Routh suggested unethical and implausible methods to bring Afghan fighters to Ukraine, including bribing officials and forging documents.
“It was clear he was in way over his head… he had no real way to accomplish his goals,” Gibbons-Neff noted.
A former Legion official told the Telegraph that Routh was “full of hot air,” promising hundreds of recruits from Afghanistan and Syria that never materialized and which Ukraine didn’t want due to infiltration risks.
“He’s been trying to get involved in recruitment and was really only interfering. He was called out a number of times by Legion people and told to stop his shenanigans, but that didn’t seem to stop him,” the source said.
Routh also made similar claims about sending “thousands of Afghan fighters” to Taiwan, further undermining his credibility.
4. Routh’s love/hate relationship with Trump
Oran Routh, son of Ryan Wesley Routh, told Daily Mail his father hates Trump, as “every reasonable person does,”
“I don’t like Trump either,” the son added.
Despite this, Ryan Wesley Routh voted for Trump in 2016.
“While you were my choice in 2016, I and the world hoped that President Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointed,” Routh wrote on X in July, in a post from his now-deleted account.
Oran expressed disbelief that his father would target Trump, describing him as non-violent. He mentioned that his father, despite lacking military experience, had traveled to Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion to volunteer and provide aid. Oran did not suggest any other motives for his father’s actions.
5. Zelenskyy expresses relief: Trump safe, Routh detained
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed relief over Donald Trump’s safety following an assassination attempt, reportedly by a suspect who had tried to join Ukraine’s International Legion.
“I am glad to hear that Donald Trump is safe and unharmed. My best wishes to him and his family,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media. “It’s good that the suspect in the assassination attempt was apprehended quickly. Political violence has no place anywhere in the world.”
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Despite Russian media’s portrayal of Ryan Wesley Routh as closely tied to Ukraine and its military, the Ukrainian International Legion distanced itself from him. His involvement with Ukraine was minimal and informal, undermining the Russian narrative. Routh’s erratic behavior and the disparity between his claims and reality suggest potential mental health problems. His actions, such as plotting to bring Afghan fighters to Ukraine or Taiwan, point to deeper personal issues.
Read more:
- “Political violence has no place anywhere in world” – Zelenskyy condemns attempted assassination of Trump
- Zelenskyy says Trump pledged support for Ukraine during July phone call
- Zelenskyy to present “Victory Plan” to Biden, Harris, and Trump
- Trump echoes Russian propaganda, blaming Biden for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
