Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s son, Conor Kennedy, has been placed on Russia’s international wanted list for his participation in the Ukraine War.
“Like many people, I was deeply moved by what I saw happening in Ukraine over the past year. I wanted to help. When I heard about Ukraine’s International Legion, I knew I was going, and I went to the embassy to enlist the next day,” Kennedy wrote on Instagram in 2022. “I told one person here where I was, and I told one person there my real name. I didn’t want my family or friends to worry, and I didn’t want to be treated differently there.”
He explained that while he had no military experience and “wasn’t a great shot,” he could learn quickly. He added that he was “also willing to die there.”
According to Russian news agency TASS, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow has authorized the arrest in absentia of Kennedy, who has been accused of serving as a mercenary for Ukraine. Under Part 3 of Article 353 of the Russian Criminal Code, Kennedy faces 7 to 10 years in prison.
“The petition of the investigative body shall be granted,” the ruling of the trial court stated.
RFK Jr. previously told People that his son “had a good job and we were looking forward to having him stay with us. And he told us that he had given notice to the law firm and he was doing something else instead.”
“When he got back, I kind of expressed some — I don’t know — whether it’s anger or whatever,” RFK Jr. explained at the time. “He said to me, when he heard maybe a little bit of anger and concern, ‘Dad, this is what you taught me to do: to stand up for what I believe in.’ And I was like ‘okay.'” He added, “I’m very proud of this. Of my son. And I knew his views about the war were not aligned with mine. Although he’s not naive at all about it. … He’d been arguing vociferously for the U.S. intervention and he didn’t want to be one of these people supporting a war and sitting on the sideline.”
