WASHINGTON — Navy veteran Trevor Reed, who was wrongfully detained in Russia for three years before being released as part of a prisoner exchange last year, was injured while fighting in Ukraine, the State Department confirmed Tuesday.
“We are aware that Trevor Reed was injured while taking part in the fighting in Ukraine,” Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said at a news conference. “Mr. Reed has been transported to Germany and is receiving medical attention.”
Patel would not say how Reed was injured or give his condition. Reed was flown to Germany by an NGO (non-governmental organization), but Patel did not name that organization or whether he was being treated in a military or civilian hospital.
“For privacy reasons, I don’t have any other specific details to offer on this,” Patel said.
But Patel stressed that while in the Ukraine, Reed “did not engage in any activities on behalf of the United States government.”
cane was arrested in the summer of 2019 in Moscow after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer as he was being led to a police station after a night of heavy drinking.
Reed, his Russian girlfriend and her family have denied the charges. The US ambassador to Russia called the evidence flimsy.
Despite those objections, Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison.
Reed was released in April 2022 in exchange for Russian drug lord Konstantin Yaroshenko.
It was not immediately clear when Reed traveled to the Ukraine or how he came to fight there.
“Since the beginning of this war, we have warned American citizens who travel to Ukraine, especially for the purpose of participating in fighting there, that they face significant risks, including the risk of capture, death, or physical harm as well,” Patel said.
Julia Jester reported from Washington, Corky Siemaszko reported from New York.
