Last year, Routh traveled to Ukraine with the intention of fighting against Russian forces but was quickly dismissed by more experienced foreign fighters, who labeled him as a “wack job” and “off.”
According to the NY Post, volunteer fighters were not surprised by his rejection. An American volunteer, who chose to remain anonymous, commented, “A crazy idiot, but no one’s really surprised. There are people like that who show up, desperate to be important.”
Routh, 58, lacked military experience but arrived in Ukraine around March 2023, hoping to contribute to the war effort. However, his attempt to use a GoPro to document his activities was noted as a sign of his problematic connections to the conflict. The volunteer remarked, “There are too many clout chasers among foreign visitors to Ukraine.”
After being rejected by the Ukrainian Foreign Legion for being “old” and lacking battlefield experience, Routh was advised to assist with recruitment and coordination instead. He later claimed to have been involved in efforts to recruit fighters from Afghanistan.
One volunteer recalled Routh’s behavior and said, “He struck me as unbalanced and dangerous.” Another shared a screenshot of a text conversation with Routh, who boasted about returning from Ukraine and included a grinning, shirtless selfie with his apparent girlfriend.
An individual familiar with the legion’s recruitment efforts noted that while anyone can present themselves as involved in the conflict by appearing in front of a camera, Routh’s role in recruiting was minimal.
