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Polish national fighting for Russia killed in combat zone, Russian authorities say

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Polish national fighting for Russia killed in combat zone, Russian authorities say
Polish national Jerzy Tyc who supported Russia in its full-scale war against Ukraine. (Jerzy Tyc/Facebook)

Polish national Jerzy Tyc, who fought on Russia's side against Ukraine, was killed in action, regional authorities of Russia’s Kursk Oblast reported on Sept. 21.

Tyc was the head of the Kursk Association, an organization involved in restoring Soviet war memorials in Poland.

He said he had served in the Polish armed forces until 1989, leaving the military after the fall of communism. In recent years, Tyc lived in Russia.

According to Polish media outlet TVP, he often appeared in Russian media, where he criticized the Polish government.

While in Moscow, he met with Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, and was awarded a medal by former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for what Russian sources described as "restoring dozens of monuments to Soviet soldiers and military graves."

Tyc eventually joined the Russian military, where he served under the call-sign "Zygmunt."

Polish authorities have not commented on the reports of Tyc's death. The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the Polish Foreign Ministry for comment.

Russian forces have frequently deployed foreign fighters against Ukraine during the aggression in Donbas in 2014 and as part of the full-scale invasion since 2022.

While some have been coerced or tricked into military service, others have reportedly come to fight for Russia for ideological reasons.

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Kateryna Denisova

News Editor

Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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