Wagner boss says former US special forces soldier died in Bakhmut

Wagner leader Prigozhin said an American citizen died fighting on the Ukrainian side in Bakhmut and his identification documents showed he was a former special forces soldier.

Russian military blogger Alexander Simonov shared a video on May 16 of Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian private security group Wagner, arriving at an area in the city of Bakhmut at night. The video shows Prigozhin examining a body that he said had American identification.

"This American citizen has come to us. We will return him to the Americans. We will lay him in a coffin covered with the American flag with respect, because he did not die in bed like his grandfather, but died on the battlefield, so this is a meaningful death, right?", Mr. Prigozhin said, seemingly sarcastically.

Identification documents show that the body is that of US citizen Nicholas Dwain Maimer from Boise, Idaho, and a former US Army special forces soldier. The exact time and location of the video is unknown.

The Idaho Statesman reported on May 16 that Maimer was killed by artillery fire in Bakhmut. The 46-year-old former soldier had been in Ukraine since 2022 to train Ukrainian volunteers to fight.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russian private security group Wagner, in a video released on March 3. Photo: Reuters — Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russian private security group Wagner, in a video released on March 3. Photo: *Reuters*

The US State Department has not confirmed Mr Prigozhin's claims. A State Department spokesman said they were "seeking more information".

"Our ability to verify the deaths of US citizens in Ukraine is extremely limited," the spokesman said, reiterating that US citizens should not travel to Ukraine. "US citizens currently in Ukraine should depart immediately if conditions permit, using all available commercial and private options."

Wagner is the force that is spearheading the offensive against Bakhmut. The city, once home to 70,000 people, is of symbolic importance to both Russia and Ukraine, with some areas still held by Ukraine after about 10 months of fighting with Russian forces.

According to The Hill , at least 12 US citizens have died in Ukraine since Russia launched its campaign in the country in February 2022, despite travel warnings from the US State Department.