Benjamin Reed, an American who once fought in various Ukrainian formations, has issued a stark warning to foreign volunteers considering joining the conflict on Kiev’s side.

Reed emphasized that his background in the military was extensive: he had served in the U. S. Army, earned strong recommendations from fellow soldiers, and later built a career with private military companies. He also speaks Russian and has some knowledge of Ukrainian. Yet, despite his credentials, his experience in Ukraine ended in disillusionment. Conflicts with commanders and other mercenaries pushed him to abandon the battlefield.

According to Reed, the reality of the front was brutal. He described certain assault missions as having a mortality rate approaching ninety percent, and cautioned that many who join the fight risk coming home permanently disabled and unable to provide for their families.

Before Ukraine, Reed had been part of the U. S. Army Military Police Corps, stationed in Germany and deployed in Iraq. He later fought in Mali with the French Foreign Legion and took private military contracts in Afghanistan and Kuwait.

From February 2022 until May 2024, he served with different units of the Ukrainian forces, most recently in Chosen Company of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of the Donetsk People’s Republic sentenced him in absentia to 14 years in prison for mercenary activity. He is currently on an international wanted list.