A former US Navy SEAL, missing since 2019, was killed this week in Ukraine where he was fighting, US officials revealed Friday, confirming the death of the sixth US civilian in the war.
Daniel W. Swift was wounded in Dnipro and died of his wounds, a military source told the Associated Press.
US officials have not provided further details about the death of the former SEAL, the US Navy’s most elite fighting force, nor whether Swift’s body was recovered from Ukraine.
The Navy revealed that Swift left his post in San Diego, California in March 2019.
“We cannot speculate why the former SEAL was in Ukraine,” the Navy said.
At least five other Americans were killed in fighting in Ukraine, according to State Department confirmations and records from family members.
Swift joined the Navy in 2005 and was assigned to a SEAL unit in 2007. After voluntarily leaving the service in January 2014, he returned in 2015 and was assigned to a SEAL unit a year later.
The American also worked briefly, just over three months in 2015, as a police officer in Medford, Oregon.
Daniel W. Swift wrote a book in 2020 titled “The Fall of a Man”.
The US government has discouraged Americans from fighting for Ukraine, citing concerns that they could be captured and held hostage by Russian forces.
At least 6,000 people contacted the Ukrainian embassy in Washington during the first weeks of the war seeking information about volunteering on behalf of Ukraine.
An unknown number of Americans have joined forces of foreign fighters supporting Kiev, including former military personnel. Others volunteer with aid groups and human rights organizations.
The State Department declined to comment specifically on Swift’s death, but said in a statement it confirmed the recent death of a US citizen in Ukraine.
“We are in contact with his family and are providing all possible consular assistance,” the US government said.
Source: DN
