A U.S. citizen who had fought alongside Russian-supported separatists in Ukraine was discharged from the U.S. military last week, an Army spokesman said Monday.
Army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Jennifer Johnson did not disclose the reason for Pfc. Guillaume Cuvelier’s discharge, nor whether it was honorable or dishonorable, citing the Privacy Act’s authority on the issue, according to a Washington Post report published Monday.
Cuvelier is a dual U.S. and French citizen. The 29-year-old had joined the Army and shipped off to basic training in January following stints with French ultranationalist groups and having helped create an anti-Western militant group in eastern Ukraine.
Cuvelier’s past actions may have interfered with Army policy, which prohibits any man or woman who has displayed “extremist views or actions” from entering the service.
The dual citizen may have been admitted to the Army as a result of not disclosing his military background and contradicting political views, which could open him up to fraudulent enlistment charges.
In addition, Cuvelier could face federal prosecution for having fought in Ukraine for the Donetsk People’s Republic, a breakaway state that falls under U.S. government sanctions.
