'Thrown to the wolves': American moves family to Russia to 'escape wokeness' — finds himself at the frontline fighting Ukraine war
An American man who left US in search of traditional values has ended up on the front lines of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Derek Huffman moved with his wife and three daughters from Texas to a village outside Moscow earlier this year, reports New York Post.
Huffman hoped to raise his family away from what he described as the 'wokeness' and 'LGBTQ indoctrination' of the US education system.
However, he now finds himself near the front lines, despite initially being promised a non-combat role. Huffman had joined the Russian military to secure fast-tracked citizenship.
Huffman's wife, DeAnna, said in a YouTube video that he was misled during the recruitment process. The video is now deleted from social media.
'He feels like he's being thrown to the wolves right now, and he's kind of having to lean on faith, and that's what we're all doing,' she said. She added that he had no military experience and was trained in Russian, which he barely understands.
'Unfortunately, when you're taught in a different language, and you don't understand the language, how are you really getting taught? You're not,' she said.
The family had moved to Istra, about 25 miles from Moscow, under Russia's 'shared values' visa scheme.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
15 most beautiful women in the world
Topgentlemen.com
Undo
The family was among only two known to have relocated to the so-called 'American village,' a settlement created by US expat and blogger Tim Kirby to attract Westerners tired of liberal norms.
What was the final straw that made the Huffmans leave US?
Their decision to move followed an incident at their daughter's school in the US. 'The final straw was when we found out my daughter Sophia learnt about lesbians from a girl in her class. She didn't fully understand it, but for us, that was enough to realise something had to change,' Huffman was quoted as saying by Russia Today.
The family was later featured in several Russian state-affiliated media outlets, where Huffman said he wanted to earn respect through military service. 'The point of this act for me is to earn a place here in Russia. If I risk myself for our new country, no one will say that I am not a part of it. Unlike migrants in America who come there just like that, do not assimilate, and at the same time want free handouts,' he said.
Despite these intentions, DeAnna now claims that her husband was offered roles such as a welder or war correspondent but was instead rushed through training and sent to the battlefield.
She also said the family has yet to receive any of the promised military wages.
Father's Day video message
In June, Huffman appeared in a Father's Day video message wearing camouflage. 'I miss you all more than you can imagine,' he told his family. 'Just know I will do whatever it takes to be safe and to come home to you. Take care of each other.'
A Telegram group titled 'Save that little girls' was recently linked to the family's deleted channel, calling on the US government to intervene.
'It's been just a few months since our family made the big move from America to Russia, and while we've had amazing adventures, this journey has also brought deep challenges,' DeAnna said. 'Being alone in a new country, raising kids, and trying to stay strong has tested me in ways I never imagined.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
24 minutes ago
- India.com
Modi govt upset as these two Muslim countries were included in SCO summit, they were once India's friend, names are...
Modi govt upset as these two Muslim countries were included in SCO summit, they were once India's friend, names are... India has strongly objected to the participation of Pakistan's allies in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held in Tianjin, China. Heads of 20 countries from around the world may participate in this summit to be held in early September. According to reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi may also visit Tianjin. According to a report in the Economic Times, before the summit, India has made it clear that the presence of Turkey and Azerbaijan who sided with Pakistan during Operation SIndoor and were seen supporting terrorism may undermine the objectives of the SCO. What is the fault of these two countries? In fact, after the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, Turkey and Azerbaijan started showing brotherhood with Pakistan. While on one hand the rest of the Muslim countries also condemned the terrorist attack and adopted a balanced stance on Operation Sindoor, Turkey and Azerbaijan openly supported Pakistan. Even during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan was using drones made in Turkey to attack India. At the same time, Azerbaijan was fully supporting Pakistan politically. Azerbaijan was also maintaining brotherhood with Pakistan because Pakistan supports Azerbaijan in its war with Armenia. Pakistan has not even recognized Armenia as a country. In such a situation, Pakistan's policy in the case of Azerbaijan and Armenia has been one-sided. There is a dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. On the one hand, India is adopting a balanced attitude on this issue, while Pakistan supports Azerbaijan one-sidedly. Talking about trade relations, relations between India and Azerbaijan are also good. However, in terms of political support, Azerbaijan supported Pakistan. One reason for this is also the closeness between Azerbaijan and Turkey. What is SCO summit? The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has 10 full members. It was formed in 2001 in China itself. It earlier included Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. In 2017, India and Pakistan also joined this organization. In 2021, Iran was also given full member status in the organization. Belarus has been included in the organisation as the 10th full member. This time, China has invited Turkey, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Armenia, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar, Bahrain and UAE as dialogue partners. What is India's stance? Last month, when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited China, he had clearly said during the SCO meeting that countries supporting terrorism will have to be sidelined. He had said that the purpose behind the Pahalgam attack was to harm the tourism economy of Jammu and Kashmir and create hatred between Hindus and Muslims. He had said that the SCO countries will have to jointly fight terrorism, separatism and radicalism.
India Today
26 minutes ago
- India Today
Explained: Why India shouldn't lose sleep over Trump's 25% tariffs
When Donald Trump announced a sweeping 25% tariff order targeting Indian exports, effective August 1, it had all the hallmarks of a trade provocation. Yet in Delhi's ministries and Mumbai's market floors, the response was consensus across policy circles is clear: Trump's move is less about trade policy and more about leverage. A pressure from threatening retaliation, India is opting for dialogue. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament that the government would 'safeguard the interests of our farmers, workers, and small entrepreneurs".The Ministry of External Affairs reaffirmed that the broader US–India partnership 'has weathered transitions and challenges' and should not be derailed by short-term frictions.25% TARIFF TO HAVE LIMITED IMPACTStrategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney has been one of the few voices raising alarm over what he calls the "lopsided" nature of the trade expectations coming from pointed out that even under a new trade accord, the United States would retain relatively high tariffs on Indian goods—comparable to what it maintains on Vietnam and the Philippines, around 19–20%. In return, India would be expected to impose zero tariffs on most US imports, a clearly uneven 25% tariff order, while headline-grabbing, is unlikely to trigger major macroeconomic tremors. According to estimates by ICRA, Nomura, and ANZ, the GDP impact is expected to be modest, around 0.2 to 0.4 percentage points. India exports roughly $87 billion worth of goods to the US annually—just 2 to 3% of its total likely to take a near-term hit include traditional export mainstays: textiles, gems and jewellery, auto components, and seafood. But core sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT services, and high-end engineering remain relatively INDIA A 'DEAD ECONOMY'? ASK AMERICAN CONSUMERSStill, the frustration behind the tariff move isn't rooted in deficit calculations alone. Trump has publicly derided India's economy as a 'dead economy,' but data tells another story, especially when it comes to what American consumers depend top four exports to the US—pharmaceuticals, textiles, electricals and electronics, and jewellery—form a critical part of American supply chains. India ranks among the top five import destinations for the US in pharma, textiles, and jewellery. In electronics, India is one of the fastest-growing exporters to the US.'The total volume of 'Made-in-India' smartphones grew 240% year-on-year and now accounts for 44% of smartphones imported into the US, up from only 13% of smartphone shipments in Q2 2024,' according to Canalys data cited in this India Today DIU report. In the last quarter, India emerged as the dominant player in mobile handset shipments to the tariffs on key import destinations such as India could push up domestic prices for American consumers, especially in sectors where substitution is neither immediate nor HOLDING UP THE INDIA–US TRADE DEAL?The underlying tensions go beyond tariffs. Chellaney warns that the United States is not just demanding better market access but is pushing India to rewrite domestic policy in ways that could have long-term noted that India would be expected to open its agricultural and dairy markets, even though industrial-scale American imports could shatter India's family farms and undermine its food United States also expects India to ramp up purchases of American energy products by tens of billions of dollars annually. And despite already being a growing buyer of US arms, India would be nudged to increase its defence imports expectations haven't been officially acknowledged by Indian negotiators. But several of these themes have surfaced in earlier trade talks between the two countries, and officials say regulatory changes are already being quietly evaluated, including customs streamlining and possible tariff rationalisation on select capital INDIA MUST STAND ITS GROUNDExporters, meanwhile, are not standing still. Many are pivoting toward the EU, ASEAN, and Middle East markets, especially in sectors like engineering goods and climate-aligned manufacturing. The recently signed India–UK free trade agreement is expected to generate over Rs 500 billion annually and contribute 0.06% to India's GDP in the long term, signalling new avenues for growth.'A 25% US tariff may put some pressure on India's export-driven sectors like engineering goods, textiles, and jewellery. This move underscores the growing trend of protectionism and may compel India to diversify export markets, push for FTA negotiations, and accelerate domestic value addition to maintain global competitiveness,' said Ajay Garg, CEO, SMC Global Securities.'While Trump's trade policies unsettle global supply chains, India's resilience and economic agility are emerging as key differentiators. Notably, regional competitors like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are still facing steeper tariffs, weakening their edge,' Garg added. 'Amid global uncertainty, India remains one of the fastest-growing major economies, poised to lead the next phase of emerging market growth.'Still, the deeper concern lies not in tariffs themselves, but in what they represent. Chellaney argues that this isn't merely about trade, it's about shaping the architecture of India's future economic dependencies. 'Conceding quietly,' he says, 'can become a pattern.'Opposition parties have accused the government of being too passive in the face of what they see as a coercive gambit. But export bodies and trade associations have largely backed New Delhi's calm approach. They have urged exporters to renegotiate contracts directly with US buyers, share cost burdens, and reinforce India's reputation as a reliable trade insist that India's sovereignty on food security, defence procurement, and digital trade remains non-negotiable, regardless of tariff TARIFF PLAYBOOKIt may be noted that the 25% tariff order isn't about economics; it's Trump playing the same old game. Trump's tariff playbook thrives on calibrated disruption: loud threats, sudden reversals, and pressure designed to unsettle rather than resolve. Sometimes he calls India a close ally. The next moment, it's a 'dead economy.' The inconsistency is the now, India is not retaliating, but there's little reason to lose sleep over what may well be another of Trump's arm-twisting theatrics.- Ends advertisement
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bihar Polls: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claims his name deleted from electoral roll after SIR update
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said that his name has been removed from the electoral roll following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission in Bihar . The Election Commission on Friday came out with the much-anticipated 'draft electoral rolls' in Bihar, enlisting 7.24 crore voters but knocking off more than 65 lakh names, claiming that most of the persons concerned had died or migrated. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category others Artificial Intelligence Healthcare CXO Finance Operations Management Data Analytics MCA MBA healthcare Project Management Public Policy Management Data Science Others PGDM Cybersecurity Degree Product Management Design Thinking Digital Marketing Leadership Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT - ISB Cybersecurity for Leaders Program India Starts on undefined Get Details The draft electoral rolls, prepared as part of the special intensive revision (SIR), which has caused much controversy as the exercise was ordered with just a few months left for assembly polls, are available for voters online. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Vargem: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo The EC has also said it was making available printed copies, district wise, to representatives of political parties so that anomalies, if any, could be flagged during the 'claims and objections' phase, which would continue till September 1 before the 'final rolls' are published. However, the main opposition party, the RJD, was unhappy with the system and in a memorandum, submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, it demanded an 'assembly segment-wise' break-up conveniently downloaded "in a pen drive or on a CD". Live Events
