US Treats 'Ukraine War' Wounded at German Hospital... NYT Warns of Risk Provoking Russia

A U.S. military hospital in Germany has recently been quietly treating soldiers wounded in the Ukraine war, according to reports.

The American daily newspaper The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 23rd (local time) that "although it is currently limited to some Americans who volunteered to fight on the battlefield, it reflects the deepening level of U.S. involvement in the Ukraine war."

According to the report, 14 soldiers wounded in Ukraine are currently hospitalized at the U.S. Army Landstuhl Regional Medical Center located in Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany.

Most of them are identified as Americans who volunteered for the Ukrainian military and militias. In addition, there are also patients from Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Ukraine.

The U.S. Department of Defense officially confirmed, "According to the Department of Defense policy that began last summer, the Landstuhl Medical Center can accommodate up to 18 wounded Ukrainian soldiers."

Landstuhl Medical Center is a Level II trauma center with 65 beds and is the largest U.S. military hospital located outside the United States. Thousands of U.S. military personnel wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan have previously passed through this facility.

The hospital stated that all the wounded are in stable condition but refused to disclose specific details about the patients.

Since the war broke out in February 2022, hundreds of Americans have joined the battlefield in Ukraine, and after 19 months, it appears that more than 100 are still participating, NYT explained.

NYT noted, "At the start of the conflict, the Biden administration warned Americans not to intervene and stated that U.S. troops would not be stationed in Ukraine, but now they are treating those who were told to 'keep their distance.'"

It added, "The fact that most of the Ukrainian soldiers at Landstuhl Hospital are Americans shows how the war has unfolded in unexpected ways."

An anonymous Department of Defense official said, "The government strongly opposes U.S. citizens going to Ukraine to fight, but it is clear that some are going to the front lines nonetheless. If they arrive at Landstuhl wounded, the military will not turn its back on them," he added.

Many of the American combatants transferred here were evacuated from the front lines after going weeks without proper treatment following their injuries.

U.S. Representative Jason Crow, a former U.S. Army Special Forces member, emphasized, "Landstuhl is an excellent military medical facility, but the capacity to accommodate only 18 patients at a time is too limited, and the U.S. military must do more."

Marcy Sanchez, a spokesperson for Landstuhl Medical Center, said, "We are prepared to support U.S. military personnel, NATO members, and other allied countries as directed."

Regarding this, NYT pointed out, "There is no risk-free situation here," noting that "Russia has repeatedly warned that increased U.S. military involvement could trigger a broader war."

It also mentioned, "Even without creative Russian propaganda, it would not be difficult to portray U.S. volunteers carrying U.S. military weapons and receiving treatment at a U.S. Army hospital as de facto U.S. troops deployed on the ground."

However, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor dismissed such concerns, stating that despite the U.S. crossing several 'red lines' last year by providing rocket launchers, tanks, and pilot training to Ukraine, Russia did not respond by escalating the conflict.

Former Ambassador Taylor emphasized, "In the big picture, Ukraine's victory aligns with U.S. interests, and for that, we must do everything we can."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.