U.S. Marine veteran killed fighting in Ukraine

U.S. Marine veteran killed fighting in Ukraine. 

According to his family, Willy Joseph Cancel, a former US Marine, was murdered Monday while fighting alongside the Ukrainian troops. 

He leaves behind a wife and a seven-month-old child.

Rebecca Cabrera, his mother, told CNN that her son was employed by a private military contracting firm at his death. 

According to some news outlets, he could be the first American killed in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

According to CNN, cancel worked as a prison officer in Tennessee before joining the conflict in Ukraine. 

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He had signed up with a military contracting firm not long before Russia launched an attack on Ukraine’s neighbor. 

When the unrest began, the company looked for contractors ready to travel to the area, and Cancel volunteered to go. 

Between March 12 and 13, Cancel flew to Poland before crossing into Ukraine.

“He wanted to travel over because he believed in what Ukraine was fighting for. He wanted to be a part of it to limit it there, so it didn’t come here,” Cabrera said to CNN.

Cancel’s death has remained a mystery, but his mother informed CNN that her son’s body has yet to be discovered.

According to NPR, a State Department official said: “These reports have been brought to our attention. We are keeping a careful eye on the situation. Unfortunately, we are unable to discuss further due to privacy concerns.”

Because of the ongoing armed situation in Ukraine, the Department of State recommends Americans not travel there. A department official reiterated this on Friday.

“We reiterate that due to the active armed conflict and Russian government security officials singling out U.S. citizens in Ukraine, U.S. citizens in Ukraine should not travel to Ukraine and that U.S. citizens in Ukraine should depart immediately if it is safe to do so using any commercial or other privately available ground transportation options.”