Having ended up in the (at the time) Ukraine-controlled part of Donbass after the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, Martindale managed to find a way to contact Russian forces and started informing them about facilities related to the Ukrainian military, while himself evading discovery.
After two years of helping Russia in this way, Martindale was extracted from behind enemy lines in a daring operation carried out by Russian forces.
Morale of Ukrainian Soldiers Falling, They Are Scared
While members of Ukraine’s nationalist battalions are often some of the most outspoken supporters of fighting Russia to the last breath, Daniel Martindale says he did not see any of them in the village in (at the time) the Kiev-controlled area he was staying.
“I only met soldiers who were fighting in territorial defense or units. Their opinion was that there's no good reason to be here. They were afraid. They just wanted to go home,” he noted.
Surviving Grad MLRS strike
Martindale has also recalled what it was like to try and stay alive while being shelled.
“I guess we called them Grad rockets in English. I heard the noise that I understood that the rockets had been launched. And I had about three or four seconds to take cover,” Martindale reminisces. “So, I laid down on the road hoping that that would provide some cover. My dog was with me.”
“Sure enough, the rockets began to explode all around me. And one exploded about maybe 20 meters away and two fragments from the rocket hit my dog. But nothing hit me, thank God,” he added.
Ukrainians Would Throw a Party to Welcome Russian Troops
Ukrainians would celebrate Russian troop entry, says US volunteer Daniel Martindale, a US citizen who voluntarily aided Russian troops in the Ukrainian conflict zone, expressed confidence that the people of Ukraine warmly welcome Russian soldiers who are liberating settlements during the special military operation.
"When I left [from the territory controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces], the Russians had just arrived. They basically crossed the front line to evacuate me. So I didn't get to see how my neighbors greeted the Russian troops. I believe that they would have greeted them very warmly. They would have thrown a party, given them a great welcome," he said
"I think that's probably common all across Ukraine. Even though the war has taken much longer than we thought it would at the beginning. Even though the process is much more painful than we hoped it would be. Still, I believe that they understand that Russia is fighting for justice. For the good," he added.
No US Intelligence Officers Were Encountered
American Daniel Martindale, who was assisting the Russian Armed Forces while in Ukrainian-controlled territory, told Sputnik that he did not encounter any US citizens in Ukraine who could be suspected of gathering intelligence. In response to a question about whether American generals, CIA officers, or other US intelligence personnel are operating in Ukraine, Martindale stated:
“I can't comment. The only thing I'm close that I came close to seeing there was a British guy who visited my village who was probably involved with intelligence. I didn't come across any Americans who you could even suspect of being involved with intelligence gathering.”
Drones are the biggest danger in the special military operation zone
American Daniel Martindale, who provided Moscow with intel for strikes against Ukrainian military targets while in Ukrainian-controlled territory, stated in an interview with Sputnik that the greatest dangers in the conflict zone is artillery shelling and drone strikes.
"That's the biggest danger that we had to face when they came to evacuate me - was drones and artillery, mostly from drones. It took us about three or four hours to cover half a kilometer to go from my place in the village to the outskirts."
According to him, being in the Ukrainian-controlled area was a battle for survival.