Two US military veterans killed in drone attack in Ukraine

Two U.S. military veterans were killed late last month while fighting in Ukraine, marking the latest of a growing number of Americans who have fought against Russian soldiers and died in the embattled country.

Lance Lawrence, a former U.S. Marine, and Andrew Webber, a former Army officer, both died on July 29 during an operation against Russian forces, according to media reports and public posts from those who knew them.

The State Department confirmed the death of two U.S. citizens in a drone attack in Ukraine on July 29, but did not name them out of respect for the family’s privacy.

“We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Both Lawrence and Webber died in the service of Ukraine’s 59th Motorized Brigade.

Lawrence was “providing cover fire under heavy enemy fire for fellow Chosen Company soldiers when he was wounded,” wrote one of his comrades and friends, Ryan O’Leary, on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Lance was enlisted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He was not a mercenary out for blood or excited for combat,” O’Leary wrote. “He came because he thought what was happening in Ukraine by Russia was wrong. Rest easy, brother.”

Military news outlets Task & Purpose and Stars and Stripes first reported the news last week.

The deaths of Lawrence and Webber mean at least 14 American citizens have died while fighting in Ukraine since the war broke out last year, although the exact figure is unclear.

Lawrence enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 2013 and achieved the rank of private first class after three years and earned several medals for his service, according to Stars and Stripes.

Webber, who leaves behind two daughters, served about a decade in the U.S. Army, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to his LinkedIn profile. His page says he joined the Ukrainian armed forces in May.

“He was a veteran education mentor, a relentless patriot and a defender of freedom who valued justice and liberty for others just as much as his own life,” his GoFundMe page reads. “Andrew will be forever missed.”

Updated at 3:34 p.m.