U.S. citizen killed in Russian air strike was a humanitarian volunteer

An artist from Oregon, Grandy arrived in Kyiv in late May as a humanitarian volunteer, motivated by disappointment with U.S. policy on the Russo–Ukrainian war. His family said he was disillusioned by U.S. President Donald Trump’s apparent pivot towards rapprochement with Russia and repeated criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“He was a person who wanted to make a difference so badly,” said Grandy’s sister, Sietska Reed.

“I talked to him about five days ago, and he told me that he felt he was right where he should be. And he was hoping he could stay for five or six months more and help.”

“He thought, you just don’t let a bully do that stuff, and you don’t just abandon people. He saw how hard they fought to save their country, or are fighting still. It was just hard to understand [the United States] walking away, you know? And he just believed that people need a hand up.”

Grandy was one of the 28 people killed in the attack on the Ukrainian capital. A Russian cruise missile got through air defenses and collapsed an entire section of a nine-story building, killing and trapping dozens beneath the rubble.

Russia’s Defense Ministry later commented on the attack, stating that it had “achieved objectives” and struck “all designated objects.”