More Details Revealed on American Killed in Ukraine – On Thursday, the family of an American man announced that he had been killed in Ukraine.
James “Jimmy” Hill was living in Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv. At the time of the attack, Hill was in a hospital in Chernihiv, a couple of hours north of the city, with his partner, Irina Teslenko.
Katya Hill, Jimmy’s sister, confirmed that the family was notified of his death through the United States embassy. The death was later confirmed by the United States Department of State on Thursday, adding that he was killed by a Russian shelling on March 17.
Hill reportedly died while out searching for food for his partner.
Why Hill Refused to Evacuate Ukraine
68-year-old Hill flew into Ukraine last month and refused to delay his trip as his partner Irina suffered from multiple sclerosis and was undergoing medical treatment in a Ukrainian hospital. He was killed outside of the hospital on the streets of Chernihiv as Teslenko was undergoing treatment.
Katya Hill said that Teslenko’s illness was progressing rapidly and that she can no longer walk or properly use her hands. Her treatment in Ukraine was the result of months of arrangements and was finally confirmed in February.
Family members say they tried to encourage Hill to delay his trip to Ukraine as the possibility of war in Ukraine escalated.
“He said, ‘I don’t know what I would do if I lost her, I have to try to do everything I can to try to stop the progression of MS,’” Katya told a Pittsburgh news outlet. “My brother sacrificed his life for her.”
Most patients in the hospital were moved to a bomb shelter, but both Teslenko and her mother stayed in the upper levels of the hospital so that she could continue her medical treatment. The pair are now reportedly attempting to evacuate the city to go back to their family home in a village south of Kiev.
Hill’s last Facebook updates were posted on March 15.
“Intense bombing!” he wrote. “still alive. Limited food. Room very cold. Ira in intensive care.”
In another post on the same day, he told his friends that he was unable to take photos.
“Spies throughout city Bombing has intensified noway out.”
Hill is the second American to be killed in Ukraine.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
