American father of three who joined Russian army to escape ‘woke’ US has been sent to the frontlines, wife says
ByRonny Reyes
Published July 22, 2025, 6:20 p.m. ET
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American dad DUPED into fighting on Russian frontlines after family fled US
A Texas father of three who moved his family to Russia and joined the military to escape “wokeness” in the US has been sent to the frontlines of Moscow’s meat grinder, his wife said.
Derek Huffman, 46, claimed he was being tossed under the bus after being deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine despite assurances from the Russian military that he would be serving in a non-combat role, his wife DeAnna said in a now deleted YouTube page, according to the Telegraph.
“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 of her husband’s situation.
4Texan Derek Huffman moved to Russia together with his family to escape “wokeness” in the US.X / HuffmanTime
4Huffman went on to join the Russian military, where he was allegedly promised a non-combat role, only for him to be deployed to the frontlines, his wife claims.YouTube / HuffmanTime
The Huffmans had moved to Russia in March, with the father-of-three celebrating what he called an escape from the LGBTQ “indoctrination” in America.
He was one of two families who reportedly answered American blogger Tim Kirby’s invitation to move to a village outside Moscow to be free of the “liberal gender norm.”
To secure an expedited citizenship process for his family and to earn the respect of his new countrymen, Huffman told Russian state media that he would gladly join the military.
“The point of this act for me is to earn a place here in Russia,” he told state media last month.
4Huffman claimed he was happy to enlist in the army to expedite his citizenship process and earn the respect of his new countrymen.
“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 added.
DeAnna, however, claims he was misled during the military recruitment process, where Russian officers allegedly promised him a role as a welder or war correspondent.
Instead, Huffman, who has no prior military experience, underwent training in a language he did not understand and was shipped off to fight in the frontlines, where hundreds of Russian troops are killed every week.
4His wife, DeAnna, said her husband has no prior military experience and received little training by the time he learned he would be deployed to fight Ukraine.YouTube / HuffmanTime
“Unfortunately, when you’re taught in a different language, and you don’t understand the language, how are you really getting taught?” DeAnna pointed out. “You’re not.”
“It seems as though he is getting one more week of training, closer to the front lines, and then they are going to put him on the front lines,” she added.
The confused wife also claimed that even after a month of service, the family has yet to receive any of the wages promised to Huffman.
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Huffman was last seen on his family’s social media accounts during a Father’s Day message to his wife and kids in June, which showed him wearing camouflage and speaking to them directly.
“I miss you all more than you can imagine,” he said. “I can’t wait to see you, hopefully I get a vacation at some point and I get to go home and spend a couple of weeks with you.
“But man, you’re on my mind 24/7 and just know that what I’m doing is important to me and important to our family. Just know I will do whatever it takes to be safe and to come home to you. Take care of each other,” he added.
