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White House warns Americans not to travel to Ukraine

30 April 2022 00:28 (UTC +04:00)

Willy Joseph Cancel, a 22-year-old veteran, was killed on Monday fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in Ukraine, members of Cancel's family confirmed, APA reports citing CNN.

Cancel working with a private military contracting company when he was killed. The company had sent him to Ukraine, and he was being paid while he was fighting there, Cancel's mother, Rebecca Cabrera, said.

Jen Psaki cautioned against Americans traveling to Ukraine to take up arms.

“We know Americans are looking for ways to help and the reports about this individual were that he's a veteran,” she said. “He had a child, I believe, and certainly sounded like a very passionate, young man. We know people want to help, but we do you encourage Americans to find other ways to do so … rather than traveling to Ukraine to fight.”

“It's an active war zone. And we know Americans face significant risks, but certainly we know a family is mourning. A wife is mourning and our hearts are with them,” she continued.

Psaki also reiterated that the administration’s advice “has been that Americans should not travel to Ukraine for any reason.