Russia Places Son of RFK Jr. on Wanted List for Fighting in Ukraine
Conor Kennedy joined Ukraine’s International Legion in 2022, at the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, and is believed to have departed in October the same year after a brief stint. A Moscow court has accused him of mercenarism and placed him on its wanted list in August, with a seven- to 10-year sentence.
Russia has added Conor Kennedy, son of current US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to its list of wanted individuals for participating in the fighting in Ukraine in 2022. As a great-nephew of former US President John F. Kennedy, Conor Kennedy has faced significant scrutiny due to his involvement in the conflict. His father's appointment as health secretary in 2022 drew criticism, particularly over his controversial views on vaccines.
According to Russian state media TASS, Moscow's Basmanny District Court authorized Conor Kennedy's arrest in absentia and added him to the wanted list. Conor Kennedy is accused of mercenarism for fighting with Ukraine's International Legion, and faces a potential prison sentence of seven to ten years. His lawyer appealed the decision, but the court upheld it.
In October 2022, Conor Kennedy shared his experiences in Ukraine via Instagram, expressing his deep emotional connection to the situation. He had no prior military background before joining the International Legion and requested privacy for himself and his loved ones during his service. Ukraine's International Legion comprised foreign volunteers who served as soldiers alongside their Ukrainian counterparts during Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
The legion was disbanded in February 2026, with its foreign members transferred to regular Ukrainian units. Conor Kennedy's personal life has also been the subject of media attention, including a brief relationship with US pop star Taylor Swift in the 2010s and his subsequent marriage to Brazilian pop singer Giulia Be in March 2026.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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