by Br. Alexis Bugnolo

I have met the alleged Trump shooter, Ryan Wesley Routh.

It was more than 2 years ago, when I was on a humanitarian mission in Ukraine and was at Kyiv, to organize the Ukrainian Beneficent Volunteer Organization, “Cross Azure” (CrossAzure.org), which I founded to serve the victims of the war. I was at Kyiv to file for the incorporation, and rented a small apartment near the center of the city for that purpose.

I was returning from the supermarket beneath Independence Square (see in the featured photograph above), when Mr. Routh approach me and struck up a conversation. It was, as best I remember, in early July of 2022 A. D..

Since he was a U. S. Citizen, I readily stopped to talk with him, since I had been in the country since April, and not being able to speak Ukrainian I rarely had the opportunity to chit chat.

But Mr. Routh was not chit-chatting. He struck me as a man-on-a-mission. He quickly engaged me by asking me who I was, where I was from, what my organization was about. He asked me for my contact information.

He told me that he was in the Ukraine to drum up support for her defense. He was urging all foreign nationals that he met — so he told me — to join the Ukrainian Armed forces. He had in hand the contact information for all the diverse recruitment authorities. He asked me if I knew of any foreigners who were not yet signed up, such as those who came and did not know how to sign up, because of lack of knowledge of the Ukrainian language or those who came for humanitarian work but wanted to switch over to military service.

He had a polished professional marketing style. I remember I asked him if he was a businessman or used-car dealer turned Army recruiter. He said he was not.

He appeared to be a totally focused rational person. He seemed to have no military training whatsoever. I did not take him seriously. But he did claim to have contact information for all the most important Ukrainian Military groups in the city and was actively working to help them recruit.

I could not tell if he was all bluster and self-promotion or not. With information he was pretty much a one-way street. He asked me all kinds of questions but answered nearly none of mine. He was cagey.

The second time I met him was a few days later. I asked if I could take a picture of him. He declined. I gathered from what he told me, on both occasions, that he was on an intelligence gathering mission. I asked him directly if he was a U. S. Government agent or representative, like a CIA agent. He denied this. But I remained unconvinced.

He asked me for no money or financial aid and offer me and my organization no help or assistance.

I really doubt he would have the ability or will to assassinate President Donald Trump. If anything, he is merely a publicity seeker who knows how to network and make friends easily to suit his purposes.

All the foreigners I met in Ukraine were men of the highest moral integrity and of sound mind. They were either pacifists or highly ethical persons, who observed local law and accepted modern military standards on rules of engagement. Mr. Routh, of the all , stood out for his slick-marketing style of approach.

Cross Azure (КРОСС АЗУР) was the first foreign non-profit I founded as part of my volunteer work as a Catholic at Ordo Militaris Inc. (ordo-militaris.us), a U.S. membership organization, founded in 2016, and dedicated to the defense and assistance of persecuted Christians. We have no political affiliations and receive no funding from any governments or governmental agencies. We donate all our profits to humanitarian projects or registered charities.

We provided material support in Ukraine in 2022-2023 to U. S. Veterans volunteering to distribute humanitarian assistance materials and supplies to the victims of the war. We currently have no personnel in Ukraine, but prospective volunteers can contact me if they would like to go to the Ukraine with me on our next humanitarian mission.

As a member of the international Catholic anti-terrorist organization, Ordo Militaris Catholicus, I was and remain and avid supporter of the Ukrainian war effort, since it  is absolutely clear that Ukraine’s cause is just and that this Christian nation deserves the help of fellow Christians the world over. Supporting Ukraine has nothing to do with U. S. politics. It is based on much higher moral principles.

If you would like to support our humanitarian work in Ukraine see our website and consider making a generous donation. (https://www.crossazure.org/)

(To interview Br. Bugnolo about Mr. Routh or Cross Azure, leave your contact information and link to credentials in a comment below, which will not be published. Br. Bugnolo is a Franciscan brother of private vows who dedicates himself to works of charity for the needy. He is a Roman Catholic and a layman, not a priest. As such he does not represent in any way any other organization, than those mentioned above, nor does he speak for the Catholic Church. He is not registered to vote in the U.S.A..)

CREDITS: The featured photograph is © Br. Alexis Bugnolo, and its use is reserved.

UPDATE: It turns out that others know what Mr. Routh was upto and are now speaking out:

https://twitter.com/Usama_Backhair/status/1835544362169803000