Conor Kennedy’s secret 2022 decision to fight in Ukraine has produced a new legal consequence four years later. Russian authorities have placed the son of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on an international wanted list and authorized his arrest in absentia over allegations that he served as a mercenary.
Kennedy, 32, joined Ukraine’s International Legion after Russia’s full-scale invasion and later publicly described serving on the northeastern front. Moscow’s Basmanny District Court authorized his arrest in absentia, with the decision upheld on appeal, according to PEOPLE.
The development has also pulled Kennedy back into entertainment headlines because of his brief 2012 relationship with Taylor Swift. He is the son of current U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the grandson of former U.S. Attorney General and senator Robert F. Kennedy.
Kennedy has never hidden the central fact behind Russia’s case. In October 2022, after returning to the United States, he revealed that he had quietly traveled to Ukraine, joined the International Legion and deliberately kept his identity and whereabouts from almost everyone he knew.
Russia’s Case Centers on Kennedy’s 2022 Service in Ukraine
The Basmanny District Court in Moscow authorized Kennedy’s arrest without him being present. Russian authorities accuse him under Article 353 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers participation by a mercenary in an armed conflict or military action.
The charge carries a potential sentence of seven to 10 years under Russian law. Russian state news agency TASS reported that Kennedy was placed on an international wanted list and that his defense challenged the arrest decision, but the appeal court upheld it.
Kennedy has acknowledged joining Ukraine’s International Legion and fighting on the northeastern front, but the characterization of him as a “mercenary” is an allegation made by Russian authorities. Entertainment Weekly reported that Kennedy served on the Kharkiv front while taking a break from his law studies at Georgetown University.
Kennedy Said He Kept the Mission Secret From His Family
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Kennedy told the story himself in an October 2022 Instagram post. He wrote that he had been deeply affected by Russia’s invasion, learned about Ukraine’s International Legion and went to the Ukrainian Embassy to enlist.
He told only one person in the United States where he was going and said he revealed his real name to only one person in Ukraine. Kennedy explained that he did not want relatives and friends worrying about him or fellow soldiers treating him differently because of his family.
CBS News reported at the time that Kennedy acknowledged having no previous military experience and not being an accomplished shot. He said he learned quickly, was willing to die there and was eventually sent to the northeastern front. After returning home, he praised the soldiers he had served alongside and said he would take the risks again.
RFK Jr. Learned Where His Son Was From Credit Card Activity
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. later revealed that his son had concealed the trip from him as well. During an October 2022 appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, he said Conor told him he would not be going to work as expected but declined to explain where he was headed.
When Conor disappeared from contact, Kennedy and his wife, Cheryl Hines, began looking for clues. RFK Jr. said they checked his son’s credit card activity and first saw a charge from Poland, followed by one from Ukraine. After that, the charges stopped.
RFK Jr. later spoke approvingly of his son’s motivation, saying Conor admired the Ukrainians’ resistance to Russia’s invasion and viewed Russian President Vladimir Putin as a bully.
Kennedy returned safely to the United States in 2022 and resumed his life after the deployment. Russian authorities took legal action years later. Entertainment Weekly reported that he had not publicly responded to the arrest order as of its latest update.