Russell Bentley, an American who fought against Ukrainian forces, is missing in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, police there said Friday, adding that a search was underway.
Bentley went missing on April 8, according to police. The online news outlet Mash said he had disappeared after a district in the city of Donetsk was shelled by Ukrainian forces.
Mash cited his wife as saying he had gone to see if anyone needed help but had not returned. She was quoted as saying she had found his car with his baseball cap in it along with his smashed mobile phone and a pair of glasses.
Bentley, 64, is a self-declared supporter of Russian-backed forces in Ukraine.
He joined pro-Russian fighters in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and used the military call-sign "Texas," the Russian state news agency RIA reported.
It said Bentley had later swapped his gun for journalism and had worked with the Sputnik news agency, another state-owned entity, and obtained Russian citizenship.
Russian state media have described Bentley as a war correspondent.
In 2022, Rolling Stonemagazine ran an interview with Bentley titled "The Bizarre Story of How a Hardcore Texas Leftist Became a Front-line Putin propagandist."
Insider Q&A: CIA's chief technologist's cautious embrace of generative AI
Arizona ace Zac Gallen leaves in 6th inning against Seattle with right hamstring tightness
Elliss, Jenkins, McCaffrey join Harrison and Alt in following their fathers into the NFL
Who is Jacob Zuma, the former South African president disqualified from next week's election?
Elliss, Jenkins, McCaffrey join Harrison and Alt in following their fathers into the NFL
A woman might win the presidency of Mexico. What could that mean for abortion rights?
Ncuti Gatwa is 'terrified' as launch of his first full Doctor Who series rapidly approaches
Storms damage homes in Oklahoma and Kansas. But in Houston, most power is restored
What to know about Hamas again raising the possibility of a 2
Kevin Pillar gets 1,000th career hit in Angels' win at Texas
Doja Cat SLAMS parents taking their children to her racy shows in expletive