Derek Huffman, a 46-year-old father from Texas who left the U.S. for Russia in protest of what he called “LGBT indoctrination,” says he’s stunned by the intense backlash he’s received since enlisting in Vladimir Putin’s military.
Huffman made headlines earlier this year when he relocated his wife and three daughters to Moscow, claiming he wanted to raise them with “traditional values.” In May, he joined the Russian armed forces in an effort to fast-track Russian citizenship. By June, he found himself deployed to the front lines of the war in Ukraine.
Rumors of his death circulated earlier this month, with some foreign outlets falsely reporting that Huffman had been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike. One Maltese site even claimed, without evidence, that he was “confirmed dead.” But Huffman resurfaced in a phone call posted July 27 on his and wife DeAnna’s YouTube channel, Huffman Time, confirming he is alive and still serving.
“I’m just blown away at the level of hate,” Huffman told his wife in the video call. “I’m only doing what I feel is right… but the hate for Russia is insane.” He said the online celebration of his alleged death was particularly disturbing. “Shame on all these people. They’re saying they’re glad I’m dead… I’m serving my military with honor.”
The couple has documented their new life in Russia online, portraying themselves as defenders of Christian and conservative values. Huffman has pushed back on criticism that his faith contradicts his decision to join an army accused by the International Criminal Court of war crimes, including bombing hospitals and abducting Ukrainian children.
“I don’t relish the idea of taking life,” he said. “But I’m doing what I feel is right. People ought to try that sometimes.”
On their YouTube channel, DeAnna—a former schoolteacher and floral designer—shares videos of the family’s life in Moscow and her husband’s military service. In a May video, Huffman addressed those who questioned his sanity: “A big part of it for me is respect and earning our place in Russia. In America, people just come in and get everything for free without assimilating. We wanted something different.”
Though their public content remains active, some videos have been quietly deleted, including one in which DeAnna described her husband’s deployment as emotionally difficult.
For now, the Huffmans remain in Russia—promoting their version of American conservatism while serving in a foreign war.
