Conor Kennedy is finally opening up about joining Ukraine’s International Legion earlier this year, something his family didn’t even know about at the time. He briefly explained his story in an Instagram post on October 14 as several news outlets started to report on what happened.
“Like many people, I was deeply moved by what I saw happening in Ukraine over the past year,” said Conor, the grandson of former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. He detailed his urge to help and didn’t hesitate to join the International Legion the moment he learned of it.
In an effort to save his friends and family from worrying, Conor only told one person where he was – the public is just now finding out. Not only that, but he kept his identity hidden in Ukraine, only telling one person his real name. He didn’t want to be noticed – he simply wanted to help.
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In his groundbreaking post, Conor mentioned being sent to the ‘northeastern front,’ adding he had no prior military experience and wasn’t a great shot, but could ‘carry heavy things and learned fast.’ He added he was ‘willing to die there’ and ‘didn’t want to be treated differently.’
“My time in Ukraine wasn’t long but I saw a lot and I felt a lot. I liked being a soldier, more than I had expected. It is scary. But life is simple, and the rewards for finding courage and doing good are substantial,” said Conor Kennedy, adding he would ‘take all the risks we took over again.’
He went on to praise his ‘fellow legionnaires’ as ‘true freedom fighters,’ calling them the ‘bravest I have ever known.’ He shed light on the struggle citizens are faced with daily in Ukraine – noting the fight against oligarchy and toward democracy. Kennedy called the war a revolution.
“For now, I’ll only urge you to help in your personal capacity. Join the legion, help on the border, or send medical supplies. Every day, someone there sacrifices everything for a lasting peace. They can’t be asked to act alone,” said Kennedy, sharing a photo of his friend, Nick, in uniform.
Conor Kennedy is the Great Nephew of President JFK
Conor Kennedy is a member of the infamous Kennedy family – which includes his grandfather, Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), and his great uncle, President John F. Kennedy (JFK). Conor is the oldest son of environmental lawyer and author, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK’s son).
As most people know, both RFK and JFK were assassinated. JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963, while RFK was assassinated five years later on June 6, 1968. At the time of their deaths, JFK was President of the United States and RFK was a Senator in New York.
Although Conor hasn’t dipped into politics like JFK and RFK, he has made a few headlines of his own. Perhaps most notably was in the summer of 2012 when he reportedly dated Taylor Swift. The two allegedly dated for a few months before splitting sometime in October 2012.
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There was also a time in December 2016 when he was involved in a bar fight – Conor was allegedly defending his friend. Nonetheless, he was arrested and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. He paid a fine and sent an apology letter to the victim, staying sober for six months.