Fugitive former US city councillor enlists with Russia for war in Ukraine

[Social Media]

 

In a startling turn of events, Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former city councillor from Holyoke, Massachusetts, has fled the United States amidst pending child sexual abuse image charges and has enlisted in the Russian army fighting in Ukraine. The 28-year-old, wanted on charges related to possession of illicit images and obstruction of justice, vanished just days before his scheduled court appearance in Rhode Island.

 

 

Puello-Mota resurfaced at an enlistment center in the Russian region of Khanty-Mansiysk, where he was filmed signing a military contract. The video, accompanied by a message from the region's official channel, showed him seated in a room adorned with portraits of Russian leaders Vladimir Putin and Sergei Shoigu.

 

Before formally joining the Russian military, Puello-Mota is believed to have participated as a volunteer alongside Russian troops during the capture of the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka. Footage circulated by Russian pro-war channels showed a figure, purportedly Puello-Mota, planting the US flag in the ruins of a Ukrainian city, expressing solidarity with Russia's cause.

 

In a clip released this week, Puello-Mota acknowledged his involvement in previous battles in Ukraine as part of the pro-Russian Pyatnashka international paramilitary group, affirming his readiness to do so again.

 

Puello-Mota's legal troubles began in 2020 when he was arrested in Rhode Island for possessing explicit images of an underage girl. Despite the charges, he failed to appear in court, prompting authorities to issue a statement indicating his departure on a flight to Istanbul.

Currently, Puello-Mota's Facebook profile portrays him in military attire operating a drone, with his employment listed as the Russian defense ministry.

 

While Russia has enacted laws to attract foreign fighters to its cause in Ukraine, it is uncommon for individuals from Western countries like the US to join its ranks. Nonetheless, Puello-Mota's defection has been portrayed by Russian media as a testament to his admiration for Russian soldiers and support for their mission in Ukraine.

 

The circumstances surrounding Puello-Mota's enlistment underscore the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the ongoing conflict, raising questions about the motivations behind his decision to join the Russian army while facing criminal charges in the United States.

 

06.04.24

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[gargamon]

Send him to the Ukrainian front. Looks like he'd be good cannon fodder.

[Tug]

I think someone has watched to many Steven segal movies or perhaps he wants to get in on the raping of the Ukrainian kids like the Russians……one things for sure he’s bucking for the Darwin Award idiot!

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, gargamon said:

Send him to the Ukrainian front. Looks like he'd be good cannon fodder.

His PR value to Russia is too big for that.