Robert Kennedy's Grandson Conor Shares His Experience Fighting in Ukraine
Robert Kennedy's grandson, Conor Kennedy, spent time fighting in Ukraine—and reveals he was "willing to die" fighting against Russia. Kennedy, the son of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the late Mary Kathleen Richardson, is now sharing his story.
"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 his Instagram and Medium blog. "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 continued, "Going in, I had no prior military experience and wasn’t a great shot, but I could carry heavy things and learned fast. I was also willing to die there. So they soon agreed to send me to the northeastern front."
Kennedy did not specify how long he fought with Ukraine’s International Legion, a group of foreigners who joined Ukraine's military, only writing, "My time in Ukraine wasn’t long but I saw a lot and I felt a lot." He also applauded his fellow foreigners who joined the effort, calling them "true freedom fighters."
He called fighting "scary" and life as a solider "simple," but did not share why he returned back to the States. Kennedy wrote, "I liked being a soldier, more than I had expected. It is scary. But life is simple, and the rewards for finding courage and doing good are substantial. My friends there know why I had to come home. l’ll always owe them for their example. I know I’m lucky I made it back, but I would also take all the risks we took over again."
Kennedy concluded his message, "This war will shape the fate of democracy in this century. There’s more to say about its politics and the role of western governments there. For now, I’ll only urge you to help in your personal capacity. Join the legion, help on the border, or send medical supplies. Every day, someone there sacrifices everything for a lasting peace. They can’t be asked to act alone."
Before this post, his last Instagram was from April 2022, when he instagrammed a slideshow of images without a caption—the first picture was of Brazilian singer Giulia Be, whom he has recently been romantically linked to.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, and fighting has been ongoing since then. Since summer 2022, per the Council on Foreign Relations, fighting has largely centered on eastern and southern Ukraine.
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