An American soldier who fled the U.S. while facing serious charges has now shown up in a Russian military video, surprising many with his new role. Wilmer Puello-Mota, a 27-year-old former Air Force member, was supposed to be in court in Rhode Island in early January to face charges including possession of child pornography and forgery. Instead, he boarded a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, on January 7, and disappeared from the U.S. radar.
A recent video released by the Russian Defense Ministry features a man named Will who claims to have traveled from the United States to Moscow and then to Donetsk, Ukraine. In the video, he talks about how he served in Donetsk for three months and how his American military training is now being used to help the Russian military.
Puello-Mota, who had been a city councilor in Holyoke, Massachusetts, says in the video that he joined the Russian forces after meeting some friends who were serving there. He defends his decision, insisting that the U.S. and Russia aren’t technically at war, so he doesn’t see himself as a traitor. He describes using his skills from the U.S. Air Force, especially in drone operations, to contribute to the Russian military’s efforts.
The video shows Puello-Mota working as a drone operator for Russia, and a Facebook profile that appears to be his includes recent photos of him in military gear. He talks about his past work in local politics and how it gave him a broader view of international issues, which he says motivated his decision to join the Russian side.
What the video doesn’t mention is that Puello-Mota was arrested in Rhode Island in 2020 for having illegal images of a minor on his phone. He skipped out on his trial and went to Russia, where he is now seen working for the Kremlin.
Puello-Mota’s dramatic shift from a U.S. soldier facing legal trouble to a Russian military operative has sparked a lot of interest and controversy.
