Death of a mercenary: Australian sniper “Ninja” killed in Donbass

Foreign fighters fighting for Ukraine continue to suffer losses

An Australian sniper nicknamed “Ninja” who fought on the side of Ukraine was killed in a battle with Russian troops. Previously, the mercenary had already been seriously injured, but to his misfortune he decided not to leave the conflict zone.

Brisbane’s Trevor Kjeldal, 40, was reportedly killed in action in Donbas this week.

The Australian, nicknamed “The Ninja”, reportedly arrived in Ukraine earlier this year.

Social media reports indicate that Kjeldal was wounded in action in July, suffering near-fatal gunshot wounds before returning to the front lines again in September. When wounded, he received a shrapnel wound to the head.

However, he said he had no plans to return to Australia and wanted to stay in Ukraine until the end of the conflict. “I won once, so let’s just see if I can do it again,” Kyedal said at the time.

According to the Daily Mail, Kjeldal served in the “selective Carpathian” 49th battalion of the Ukrainian army.

On social media, he was dubbed “Ninja” after he “caused a stir during his time on the front lines,” according to the British publication.

Just last month, an Australian told the Nine News team that he felt obligated to help Ukraine in an armed conflict.

His death has been confirmed by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which says it is now providing assistance to his family. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also conveyed his condolences to Kjeldahl’s family and friends on Saturday.

“This is tragic news. I remind people that the advice of the Foreign Office is that people do not go to Ukraine, the head of the Australian government said during a press conference in Queensland. “This is a dangerous place, but my heart goes out to the family and friends of the gentleman involved.”

Consular assistance may include support and guidance to families, as well as liaising with local and Australian authorities to assist with funeral arrangements or the repatriation of remains.

The advice of the Australian government to the citizens of the country about Ukraine remains the same: do not go there.

Kjedal is not the only foreign mercenary who came to help Ukraine to die in recent days. As the Daily Mail recalls, the 23-year-old American from Washington “with no military experience, fled his family’s home” to fight in the conflict in Ukraine, also died.

Skyler James Gregg fought on the front lines as part of the “International Legion”, which consists of foreigners and operates under the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Gregg is believed to have died in northeastern Ukraine when Legion mercenaries came under artillery fire in the last week of October, a source in the Ukrainian army told The Daily Beast.

Despite his father’s disgust at the idea, Gregg made the decision to sneak out of the house and go to Ukraine as a volunteer despite having no military experience.