Col. Andrei Demurenko’s war story began at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., at a moment of hope and peace. It ended with a mortar blast in Ukraine. The Russian military officer’s U.S. ties have sparked questions about his motivations and the circumstances that led him to the conflict.
Mr. Demurenko views President Vladimir V. Putin as a savior who restored Russia’s strength and is leading it in battle against an implacable enemy. His perception of the war and its leadership has positioned him within the Russian military hierarchy, where he now finds himself engaged in a brutal conflict with significant human and material cost.