MSNBC contributor Malcom Nance, who previously served in the U.S. Navy, has deployed to Ukraine in order to “fight” the Russian army. On Monday, Nance posted a picture of him in full military kit, complete with a Kalashnikov, captioned “join the legion.” Though Malcom Nance appears to be on the ground in Western Ukraine, it is highly unlikely that he will be involved in combat operations.
Shortly after announcing his decision to join Ukraine’s foreign legion, Malcom Nance discussed the move in an interview with his former network. Nance speculated that the Russian army was “destroyed” outside Kiev after their supply lines were “cut off.”
“This is why the United States needs to provide heavy weapons to Ukraine,” Nance said. The MSNBC contributor then spoke directly to President Biden and urged him to provide the Ukrainian government with long range artillery.
When asked why he went to Ukraine, Malcom Nance, 60, told Reid that time he spent time in the country during the “prewar period” compelled him to act. “When the invasion happened, I had friends who were in Donetsk, who were in the Ukrainian army, who were writing to us and telling us, ‘we’re not gonna survive tonight, we’ve been hit 500 times,” Nance said.
Malcom Nance appeared to be talking about the current war in greater Ukraine when he mentioned the “prewar” period. The far Eastern portions of the country have been locked in a frozen war since 2014, including Donetsk, which has been under de-facto Russian control for close to a decade. Downtown Donetsk was and has been controlled by Russia prior to the current conflict breaking out, though the bulk of the Ukrainian army was stationed in the east as of February.
It is unclear where Nance’s colleagues would have been stationed.
“The more I saw of the war going on, the more I thought ‘I’m done talking, it’s time to take action here,” Nance continued.
BREAKING:@MalcolmNance has just revealed that he’s in UA & has joined the Ukrainian Foreign Legion to fight the Russian Army.
Nance is an author and media pundit on terrorism & intelligence, He’s a former U.S Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer specializing in naval cryptology. pic.twitter.com/4v3L06WZ9k
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 19, 2022
According to MSNBC, Malcom Nance is currently “stationed” in Western Ukraine, not far from the Polish border in the City of Lviv. While Lviv has been struck by Russian missiles on numerous occasions, it is far from the current frontlines in Eastern Ukraine. Russian strikes have largely targeted infrastructure and air defense targets, though a military base that was being used as a training ground for foreign fighters was hit last month.
Even if Malcom Nance does find himself in Eastern Ukraine, it is highly unlikely he will participate in combat operations. Beyond the age factor, as Nance is 60-years-old, he will have far more value to the Ukrainian cause in a PR position.
While numerous foreign fighters have been killed in the current conflict, Nance will likely be used as a recruitment tool. This is how the bulk of foreign fighters were utilized by the Kurdish YPG militia in the Syrian Civil War, and Nance’s name recognition will likely make him far more valuable in a non-combat function.
Malcom Nance has repeatedly called for what amounts to a domestic war on terror aimed at conservatives.