Skyler James Greggs, a 23-year-old from Washington state who was interviewed by The Daily Beast after being injured in the Ukraine war, has died, his father and one of his former commanders have revealed.
Skyler’s father, Steve, and the commander have both confirmed his death to The Daily Beast. The commander, who didn’t want to include his name, told The Daily Beast that Skyler died “a hero” and that he was “a very brave, big-hearted man.”
The commander wouldn’t say where Skyler died due to operational security, and Ukraine’s International Legion hasn’t responded to comment requests from The Daily Beast about his death.
Another contact in the Ukrainian army, who also did not want his name published, told The Daily Beast that he heard Skyler died in northeastern Ukraine, when soldiers from the International Legion came under artillery fire in the last week of October. Several were wounded in the attack.
In recent months, Ukrainian forces have carried out a counter-offensive in the north-east regions, liberating more than 300 settlements during a rapid push in September.
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Skyler joined the International Legion in April. Two months later, in June, he was wounded near Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, when an explosive hit Skyler’s post near the frontline.
The Daily Beast met with Skyler in a hospital where he was recovering from injuries. A total of 14 fragments had penetrated his body, including his right foot, right arm, and shoulder.
Despite the injuries, he was determined to return to the frontline.
“The job isn’t finished,” he told The Daily Beast, “I have not finished what I came to do.”
Skyler told The Daily Beast this summer that he decided to join the International Legion after seeing the images of Russia entering Ukraine and being shocked by Russia’s atrocities.
The International Legion in Ukraine consists of foreigners and operates under the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is unclear how many Americans are currently fighting in Ukraine.
Skyler remembered seeing a Russian tank drive over a civilian car, which inspired him to take action and join the fight against Vladimir Putin’s army.
In his Washington state hometown of Orcas Island, Skyler lived with his father, who was against him going to Ukraine. But the young man was adamant, and he made the decision to sneak out of his home and travel to Ukraine to volunteer despite not having any military experience.
“I couldn’t just sit by. I had to do something,” Skyler told The Daily Beast in June. “I couldn’t just sit by. I have friends in Ukraine. It is so terrible what is happening. I needed to do something.”
When he arrived in Ukraine, Skyler was immediately accepted into the legion and was quickly transferred to the frontlines in Kharkiv. “I didn’t want to seem more experienced than I really was, so I just told them that I had the bare minimum experience,”