Moscow — An American who spied on Ukrainian troops to assist Moscow’s navy offensive within the nation has been granted Russian citizenship, Moscow-installed authorities stated Tuesday. Daniel Martindale spent two years in Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, transmitting coordinates of navy amenities to Russia’s secret companies, in keeping with stories in Russian state media.
“By decree of our President Vladimir Putin, a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation was awarded to Daniel Martindale,” Denis Pushilin, the top of the Russian-occupied a part of Ukraine’s Donetsk area stated on the Telegram messaging app, including that Martindale had “long since proven with his loyalty and actions that he is one of us.”
“He spent more than two years in the territory under enemy control. And not only did he survive — he helped. He supported our guys, passed on important information to our special services, risked his life,” he added.
A person recognized as U.S. nationwide Daniel Martindale is congratulated on his new Russian nationality and passport by Denis Pushilin, the top of the occupying Russian administration in Ukraine’s Donetsk area, in a picture taken from video posted by Pushilin on Telegram, July 15, 2025.
Telegram/Reuters
Martindale obtained his passport from inside ministry officers at a ceremony in Moscow, in keeping with state media and a video printed by Pushilin.
Martindale thanked Russia for “accepting me,” and stated changing into a Russian citizen was a “dream.”
“Russia is not only my home, but my family,” he stated in Russian on the video.
After two years spying on Ukraine, he was extracted in “a complex evacuation operation” after Moscow began to worry his life was at risk if he stayed any longer, Pushilin stated.
In November 2024, state media reported Russian safety forces had taken him to Russia and Martindale lodged his utility for Russian citizenship.
A Telegram account purporting to be his posted that very same month: “Hello, I’m Daniel Martindale, the guy that Russian soldiers risked their lives to evacuate from the village where I had lived for two years.”
Round that very same time, Martindale instructed pro-Russian bloggers that he had arrived in Ukraine shortly earlier than Russia launched its invasion, hoping to succeed in the Ukrainian border area of Donetsk. Martindale instructed the bloggers he had contacted Russian intelligence companies on his personal initiative and was instructed to go to town of Vuhledar and await Russian forces to reach. He stated he remained within the metropolis, pretending to be a missionary, till the autumn of 2024, when Russian troops seized town after a protracted battle.
Ukrainian journalists have discovered some proof to counsel that Martindale could have been recruited by Russian companies years earlier, as he visited Russia between 2016 and 2019, taking college programs. In accordance with some stories, he was deported from Russia in 2019 for violating labor legal guidelines.
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