Since the end of November 2024, Russian-language media and Telegram channels have been disseminating information about a Canadian officer who allegedly became a victim of a Russian bomb in Ukraine. We have checked whether this information is correct.
As reported in publications citing the Joint Task Force of the Canadian Armed Forces in Ukraine, Lieutenant Colonel Kent Miller died on November 25. Miller, who served on the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of NATO Allied Forces in Europe, was allegedly directly involved in training Ukrainian engineering troops. Many publications suggested that Miller passed away not in Canada or Belgium, as Western sources reported, but in the Ukrainian Sumy area, where on the day of the Canadian’s death several FAB-1500 aerial bombs were allegedly fired, hitting an unnamed location of foreign officers.
This information was disseminated by such Russian media as TASS, "Constantinople", RT, "Russian newspaper", "Vesti.ru", as well as Telegram channels Readovka (1 million views at the time of writing this analysis), Zergulio (435,000), "Archangel of Special Forces"(298,000 and 283,000) And Reverse Side of the Medal (198,000).
Indeed, on December 27 on the official page of the Canadian Ministry of National Defense appeared message on behalf of the Canadian Joint Task Force in Ukraine regarding the death of Lieutenant Colonel Kent Miller. The Canadian officer served at the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in Casteau (Belgium) as part of the mission "Operation Unifier" and died from medical complications on November 25, 2024. Moreover, the title calls the death non-operative, that is, it did not occur during hostilities.
Thus, the original source of the news directly states that Miller’s death occurred off-duty as a result of medical circumstances, and Belgium is named as the place of death. What grounds are there to say otherwise?
In Russian-language publications noted, that the mission “Operation Unifier” was preparing Ukrainian fighters for combat operations against Russian troops. Indeed, this Canadian Forces military training, professionalization and capacity-building initiative in support of Ukraine began in 2015 at the request of the Ukrainian government following the annexation of Crimea. On January 26, 2022, when the Russian army sharply increased the number of military contingents near the Ukrainian borders, “Operation Unifier” was expanded and extended. However, already on February 12, training operations were discontinued, and the withdrawal of mission personnel from Ukraine began, which explained security requirements in anticipation of a Russian invasion. Since then the mission is engaged training of Ukrainian officers, military engineers, tank crews and doctors in Great Britain, Latvia and Poland, but not in the country itself.
In electronic book memories and condolences from the family and friends of Kent Miller there is no hint that he died in the conflict zone. Belgium is also mentioned there.
“Verified” also found no signs of dissemination of information about Miller’s “combat” death on independent resources and sources. Typically this information distributed pro-Russian accounts in different languages. In addition, an important element of this news is about hit Russian bomb to the location of foreign specialists either near Sumy or Kharkov - has not been confirmed by independent authoritative sources. Only Russian resources provided such information about the events of November 25.
Thus, there is no serious reason to claim that Lieutenant Colonel Kent Miller died in Ukraine. Narrative about the frequent deaths of foreign mercenaries and instructors in Ukraine characteristic for Russian propaganda.
Cover photo: canada.ca
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