From Arizona to Trenches

Derek Huffman, along with his wife Deanna and their three young daughters, relocated from the United States to Russia in March 2025. Shortly after their move, the family launched a YouTube channel called Huffman Time, where they documented their new life. Two months later, a video appeared with the title: “My American Husband Joined the Russian Army. Big Changes in Our Family.” Derek had joined the Russian military for its ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to independent outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe, the Huffmans left the U.S. due to what they described as the pervasive influence of “LGBT propaganda” in society. In an early video, Huffman offered few specifics, only saying that “every cartoon is about sex and gender now.”

“We couldn’t let our daughters grow up in a world like that,” Huffman said. “And the food in America is unhealthy. They want us fat, dumb, and controllable.”

The family initially attempted to find a more conservative environment within the United States, moving from Arizona to Texas. But they claimed that even Texas didn’t shield them from the cultural trends they opposed. Eventually, they homeschooled their children, then began researching countries they felt aligned more with their values. That search led them to Russia.

Huffman discovered an initiative by American expat Tim Kirby, who has lived in Russia since 2006 and hosts a radio program. Kirby promoted the idea of an “American village” outside Moscow, designed as a haven for U.S. citizens seeking “traditional values.”

To finance the move, the Huffmans sold their land in Texas, cut back on expenses, and invested their savings into joining the rural settlement. The community, located near Istra, consists primarily of the Huffmans and an elderly American couple, the Barretts.

The houses are small modular homes. The Huffmans’ two-room residence houses all five family members, surrounded by an area still under construction. In early videos, Huffman praised what he saw as Russia’s moral clarity, contrasting it with what he described as America’s moral decay.

In nearly every video, the couple emphasized the kindness of Russians, frequently citing the same anecdote: neighbors bringing them a cake on International Women’s Day shortly after their arrival.

“We’re just thankful we could leave and raise our kids the way we want. In a great country,” Huffman said. “Putin is a great leader. It’s safe here.”

However, in a May 26 video, Deanna announced a significant development: Derek had signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense, a decision she described as “carefully considered.”

Huffman stated that his primary motivation was to fast-track Russian citizenship for his family, avoiding the five-year residency wait. He also said he wanted to earn his place in Russian society. “I’m defending the country, our country,” he said. 

A week later Deanna shared her hopes of working as an English teacher and described her husband's military training as grueling. She said many people had asked whether the government paid soldiers well. Her response: far less than promised. She noted that the gear issued to her husband was substandard, and that a “kind man” had donated boots, a vest, and a helmet.

On June 14, Deanna posted another video, revealing that she had relapsed into alcoholism after three years of sobriety, following Derek’s deployment to the front lines. Three days later, she uploaded another somber update, claiming that her husband had been misled by the military.

The couple believed that Derek’s skills as a welder would place him in a support role behind the front lines. Instead, he was sent to the front. Training, conducted exclusively in Russian, was also a barrier. “If you don’t understand the language, how can you learn anything?” she said.

In that same video, Deanna revealed that the family had not received any payments in the month since Derek deployed, leaving them unable to send him money. The video was later deleted but remains archived on Reddit.

Since then, Huffman Time has posted a vague update on Derek, showing that he is alive. Still, when contacted by Novaya Gazeta Europe, Deanna declined to say where her husband is currently located. Russian state media, which had previously promoted the story of “American Russians,” has also gone quiet.

Derek Huffman is not the first American to fight on the Russian side in Ukraine. Russell Bentley, a U.S. citizen, joined pro-Russian forces in the Donetsk region in 2014. He later became a military blogger and was killed in 2024. Before his death, he was allegedly abducted by Russian forces. Military bloggers have claimed he was murdered and may have been sexually assaulted.