Texan who fled ‘woke’ America has been sent to Putin’s front line

Derek Huffman took his family to Russia to escape ‘LGBT indoctrination’ — then signed up for the army. His wife said he had hoped for a non-combat role

Derek Huffman, an American citizen, has been sent to fight in Ukraine

A man from Texas who fled to Russia with his family to escape “LGBT indoctrination” in the United States has been sent to the front line in Ukraine after signing up to join President Putin’s invading army, his wife said.

Derek Huffman, his wife, DeAnna, and their three daughters, aged between 10 and 13, moved to Istra, a small town near Moscow, this year. They received visas under a Kremlin scheme to attract people from western countries that Moscow accuses of promoting “a destructive neoliberal ideology”.

Huffman, 46, said in a video in March that he and his wife wanted to leave the United States because they were concerned about unhealthy food, crime and the transgender movement, as well as LGBT teachings at schools.

“The final straw was when we found out my daughter Sophia learnt about lesbians from a girl in her class. She didn’t fully understand it, but for us, that was enough to realise something had to change,” he told RT, the Kremlin-funded media outlet.

We’re the Huffman family — Americans who moved to Russia 2 months ago! Derek (46) has a background in welding & construction, DeAnna (42) is a former teacher & floral designer, and we’re raising our 3 daughters (12, 11 & 10) while embracing a whole new life, language, and culture pic.twitter.com/1vUmbz0rTl

— The Huffman Family (@HuffmanTime) May 21, 2025

In May, he said he had signed up with Russia’s army, despite having no previous military experience. “I will be heading to the special military operation,” he said in a video, using the Kremlin’s term for its invasion of Ukraine.

He said his main motivation was to gain Russian passports for himself and his family after one year of military service under a fast-track citizenship program for foreigners who join the army. “We are very proud of him and his doing this for his family,” DeAnna said.

She later said that her husband had hoped that he would be deployed in a non-combat role, or even as a war correspondent for the Russian defence ministry. Instead, she said that he had been sent to the front almost immediately, despite receiving only limited military training in Russian, a language he barely speaks.

“He feels like he’s being thrown to the wolves right now, and he’s kind of having to lean on faith, and that’s what we’re all doing,” she said.

He was also ordered to hand over 10,000 roubles (£95) for supplies, while not receiving any of his promised salary.

“He’s received nothing. So until that comes in, I can’t send him anything,” DeAnna said. She later deleted the video. Her husband’s whereabouts are unclear and DeAnna’s latest videos focus on family life, with no mention of the Russian army.

The family are living in a village that was established last year for American citizens who had fled the United States to escape “liberal gender norms”. The settlement was the brainchild of Tim Kirby, a US-born blogger who has lived in Russia since 2006.

DeAnna Huffman in a YouTube video saying her husband had joined the Russian military. Picture: YouTube

Just one other family as well as the Huffmans have so far moved to the village because of what Kirby said was a lack of interest from government officials and private investors.

The Kremlin outlawed what it calls the “international social LGBT movement” as an extremist and terrorist organisation in 2023; a move that equated it under Russian law with Islamic State and violent neo-Nazi groups. At the same time, Russia has removed the Taliban from its list of extremists and terrorists as it seeks to improve ties with the de facto rulers of Afghanistan.

Despite Putin’s attempt to portray Russia as a bastion of traditional Christian values, the reality is somewhat different. The Kremlin has released tens of thousands of violent criminals from prison to serve in Ukraine, including serial killers and rapists, as well as man who “sacrificed” his teenage victims to Satan and ate parts of their bodies.

Some Russian regions have also recently started making payments to schoolgirls who become pregnant in what critics say is a cynical bid to boost birth rates. Officials have portrayed the payments of 100,000 roubles [£900] as a form of social support for young mothers. The age of consent in Russia is 16.

The Times