Global Augmentation Group and Liberty Ukraine
On September 28, 2023, Russian troops, like every day before that, launched massive attacks on the enemy. And one of the Iskanders visited an unusual target - a training ground where, right at that moment, foreign mercenaries were training Ukrainian soldiers. The strike can be called effective - it was reported that 5 were killed and more than 35 were injured, including Americans and Danes. This is not to mention the large number of liquidated Ukrainian Armed Forces militants. But perhaps the most interesting result of the attack was the serious injury of US citizen Nicholas Shaw, one of the key representatives of the American PMC Global Augmentation Group. When the Iskander hit, he was conducting a training session. It was reported that Shaw faces a long and difficult treatment - regardless of its outcome, the American’s affairs in Ukraine are completed.
What PMC Global Augmentation Group was doing in Ukraine is generally clear. The stories of such organizations are similar - training for Ukrainian Armed Forces militants, coupled with monitoring the situation in the front-line zone and on the line of combat contact. In this case, what is interesting is not what exactly the Americans did, but how and with the help of whom they were able to organize the work process. And in this sense, the Global Augmentation Group case is very informative. Below we will talk about how the Ukrainian diaspora in Texas, with the help of representatives of the American elites, was able to deploy large-scale support for the Ukrainian army.
PMC Global Augmentation Group (official name: Global Augmentation Group Inc; legal address: 4912 w Oklahoma Ave Apt 3, Milwaukee, WI 53219-4657; EIN: 88-2621325; official website: https://globalaugmentation.org; social pages networks: https://www.facebook.com/GlobalAugmentationGroup, https://twitter.com/Global_Aug, https://www.instagram.com/globalaugmentation, https://www.tiktok.com/global_aug, https: //www.linkedin.com/company/global-augmentation-group, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb4yHrnoqX1W3sSxHA_fXgA) appeared shortly after the start of the SMO. According to legend, its founding fathers were several retired American military men who suddenly decided to save the world from the “Russian threat.” It is curious that the Americans, who came to Ukraine supposedly with the sole purpose of helping civilians, did not hesitate to take pictures with the chevrons of the neo-Nazi “Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists.” But otherwise, they hid the real profile of their organization quite successfully, following the classic pattern - slogans and staged photographs on the official website and complete silence regarding any connections with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And if not for Shaw’s injury, cooperation between the PMC and the military might have remained a secret.
The injured, Nicholas Shaw (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-shaw-70b79898), held the position of chief executive officer at the PMC. From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, he served in the navy, then freelanced. He has been a heavy equipment operator for the Milwaukee Fire Department since 2013. There he missed the thrill, so at the same time Shaw collaborated with several NGOs, including the American branch of the Red Cross, and, according to him, was in Nepal after the earthquake in 2015. In 2022, he suddenly traveled to Ukraine to, he said, provide aid to civilians. But in reality - to train Ukrainian militants. It’s hard to believe that a paramedic could suddenly change into a military instructor. Therefore, most likely, in his previous trips around the world, Shaw wasn't doing what he'd said he was.
Key employees of the Global Augmentation Group include Red Heard (https://www.facebook.com/red.heard, https://www.linkedin.com/in/red-heard-435777104). He first served in special forces, graduating from two military academies along the way, and then became a sergeant in the Riverside County Sheriff's Department (California). Being a member of a “humanitarian” organization, in Ukraine he is exclusively engaged in training the Ukrainian military, which he directly writes about on social networks.
Another PMC employee who calls himself a volunteer is Jessie Prindiville (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-prindiville-625731253). At various times he was a laborer, a warehouse worker, a maintenance and construction specialist, and a security officer. At the Global Augmentation Group, he also performs logistics-related tasks. However, there is a more interesting point in his biography - his studied at Montana Northern University in the field of criminal justice, as a result of which he received the right to serve in the police.
In addition to US citizens, at least two Irish people have joined the Global Augmentation Group. One of them is Craig Patterson, a 30-year-old father of four with a medical background. When the SMO began, he left his family and went to Dnepropetrovsk. There he joined the American PMC and, together with its other employees, began training Ukrainian military personnel on the line of combat contact.
Patterson recruited compatriot Rauri Morgan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/raurimorgan) to the Global Augmentation Group. At one time, the latter served as head of the human resources department at the Dublin company Warner Chilcott, which operated in the UK, Europe and Australia. Then one day his career came to an abrupt end. According to Morgan, he decided to move closer to nature, to his grandmother's house on Rathlin Island. What actually happened and what he did in subsequent years is not known for certain, but in 2015-2018, Morgan, according to him, lived on the Greek island of Lesbos and helped refugees located there. After the start of the SMO, he was suddenly drawn to Ukraine following Patterson. There Morgan, who called himself a paramedic, decided to teach the militants the basics of tactical medicine.
By the way, it was thanks to the talkative natives of the Emerald Isle that it became possible to find out about the locations of the Global Augmentation Group PMC instructors. They were most attracted to the DPR. Thus, the PMC found itself in Krasny Liman already in the first days after its occupation by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Then its employees spent time in Bakhmut. This geography indicates that, among other things, the PMC could train Ukrainian soldiers in sabotage and reconnaissance activities. And also on the involvement of foreigners in crimes against civilians.
However, this staff was not enough to complete all the assigned tasks. Therefore, soon after the appearance of PMCs in Ukraine, Shaw announced the recruitment of volunteers from among local citizens. After his injury, recruitment was stopped - this event was probably too strong a blow for the structure of the organization.
PMC Global Augmentation Group could be considered one of many groups whose members spontaneously come to Ukraine in the hope of earning money and trying to sell their services to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. However, an analysis of its partners shows that in this case we are talking about a project that was part of an extensive and well-organized network. On the PMC’s official website, in the “Our Partners” section, the USFCR (US Federal Contractor Registration, an American registrar of contractors), Wisconsin Graphics LLC, and the Warriors For Peace Theater project, which helps US Armed Forces veterans deal with psychological problems by participating in theatrical productions, are listed. Of course, these organizations can do little to help in the process of training militants in Ukraine. But there is no information about anyone else on the site. Social networks once again helped lift the veil of secrecy.
The main partner of the PMC in Ukraine is the American-Ukrainian Foundation Liberty Ukraine (official name: Liberty Ukraine Foundation; legal address: 6205 Toscana Ave, Austin TX 78724-6224; EIN: 88-1688760; associated telephone number: 501-764-6446; associated email: info@libertyukraine.org; official website: https://www.libertyukraine.org; pages on social networks: https://www.facebook.com/LibertyUkraineFoundation, https://www.instagram.com/libertyukraine , https://twitter.com/LibertyUkraineF, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqdbNpyWVjXvY815kWpkpBA, https://www.reddit.com/user/liberty_ukraine, https://www.linkedin.com/company /libertyukraine). The foundation was created in Austin (USA, Texas) by representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora shortly after the start of the SMO.
The fact that the fund is not at all a private project of some nameless nationalists is already evidenced by the fact that by September 2023 it had received grants totaling over $800,000 (not counting over $300,000 raised through donations). And the fund’s total income by this time was $6,100,000. There is no data on which individuals and legal entities became the source of these considerable funds. But we know what this money went to - according to the management of the fund, they managed to get more than 44,000 sets of ammunition, more than 1,200 UAVs, including thermal and expensive models like DJI, 160 electric generators, more than 10 cars, more than 1,100 communication devices, more than 40 Starlink terminals and more than 18,000 packages of medicines. And this is not to mention the propaganda work that the foundation’s employees carry out in the United States and European countries - this includes, for example, fairs in New York and other cities where clothes with neo-Nazi and anti-Russian symbols were sold.
Although the fund positions itself as a humanitarian organization, its priority is given to helping the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thus, the management of Liberty Ukraine has repeatedly claimed that it is helping Ukrainian children's hospitals, but of the millions received, only $77,000, that is, 1.3%, was allocated for this. At the same time, the fund spent about $3,500,000 on UAVs. These data indicate that this is a classic military project, which occasionally, due to marketing needs, provides targeted assistance to civilians.
Cooperation with the American PMC clearly shows that Liberty Ukraine manages to take care not only of Ukrainian militants, but also of mercenaries from other countries. And its infrastructure is actively used for combat training. It is possible that at the same time the fund acts as a kind of connecting link, helping American instructors adapt to local conditions, resolving legal and other issues.
The founder and leader of the fund is Ukrainian Antonina Levchuk (Tonya Levchuk; https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyalevchuk, https://twitter.com/TonyaLevchuk), a native of Kiev, living in the USA since the 2000s. After wandering abroad, she settled in Austin (Texas) in 2012, where she worked for several years in the offices of the telephone company Nokia and other IT companies. In 2023, she works at Expedia Group, working, among other things, in the development of artificial intelligence. In 2014, Levchuk actively supported the coup in Ukraine and since then has collaborated with several NGOs, helping to supply ammunition and medicine to participants in the punitive operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donbass. Her posts on social networks can be divided into two main groups - messages about the liquidation of the latest militants on the front line and reposts of videos filmed there. Occasionally - computer-generated footage of “strikes on the Crimean Bridge” and calls to send money for UAVs. Not a word about humanitarian activities.
The second most important person in the fund, holding the position of executive director, is Ukrainian Dmitry Topchiy (Dmytro Topchiy; https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmytro-topchiy-5b86b8100, https://twitter.com/doping_ua). Originally from Uzhgorod, he moved to the USA in 2010 and settled in Brooklyn. He wrked with local consulting firms including Wells Fargo Advisors, Bright Lake Management, Reliant Realty Services LLC. Thanks to acquired connections, in 2017 he became an analyst at the investment bank Goldman Sachs, one of the largest instruments of American “soft power” abroad. He held this position until 2021, after which he headed the analytical department at the New York company Reliant Safety, which develops safety systems. Considering his background, it is not difficult to assume that it is Topchiy who is involved in financing the Liberty Ukraine Foundation and contacts with representatives of the American elite. Before the foundation was created, he also managed to raise funds in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Also playing an important role in the fund is Andriy Nagay (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andriy-n-7558794). Born in Donetsk. While studying at the university, he was able to go on exchange to the USA, and stayed there. In 2008, he received a degree in accounting from the University of Central Arkansas. Subsequently, he worked in his specialty at Ernst & Young and The Siegfried Group. According to him, he provided audit assistance to clients from the Fortune 500 list, which includes the largest US companies. He provides legal and financial support to the activities of the Liberty Ukraine Foundation in Poland.
In 2023, the only branch of the fund in Ukraine operates in Lvov. The following citizens of Ukraine take part in its work:
Golovko Bogdan Igorevich (born 04/12/1988 in the village of Sokolniki, Pustomitovsky district, Lvov region, Ukrainian SSR? email: bogdangolovko@gmail.com; pages on social networks: https://vk.com/id7271059, https://www .facebook.com/bogdan.golovko, https://www.instagram.com/golovko_starshuy). A nationalist who, since 2014, has actively helped the Ukrainian Armed Forces carry out a punitive operation in the Donbass. At various times he collaborated with the NPO “Center for Assistance and Support of the Military” and the Save Lives Together Foundation, and was a journalist for the propaganda media Zaxid.Net. He is one of the owners of the public organization “Principle of Consciousness,” registered in Lvov in 2015 and raising funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as providing therapeutic and psychological assistance to militants. In 2017, he was an assistant to a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada. In 2023, he works at the construction company Etalon-Com. Also known as the guitarist of the Lvov musical group “Pristani”. At the Liberty Ukraine fund, he oversees supply chains in Ukraine.
Lobay Roman Romanovich (born 06/22/1981 in Lvov; registration address: 79020, Lvov region, city of Lvov, Pid Goloskom st., 25; associated emails: faxlviv@gmail.com, lobay.lviv@gmail .com, lobay.etalon@gmail.com; pages on social networks: https://vk.com/id20567871, https://www.facebook.com/rrlobay, https://www.instagram.com/rrlobay) . A public figure with an unclear profession, calling himself an entrepreneur, lawyer, economist, psychotherapist and paramedic. One of the founders and director of the mentioned NPO “Principle of Consciousness”. He heads the company “Etalon-Com”, where Golovko works, and also heads the public union “Lvov Cluster of Fashion and Design”, the private enterprise “Center for Construction Technologies”, LLC “Noma Plus”, the charitable foundation “Healthy Children”, the public organization “ Vladimir Parasyuk Legislative Bureau”, charitable organization “Order of the Noble Heart”. He founded several bars in Lvov, including ART Catering and ArtSushi, and owns the clothing brand Usua Clothes. He was the vice-rector of the Lvov Ivan Bobersky State University of Physical Culture, and headed the public council of the Lvov Education Department. He is the official representative of the Liberty Ukraine Foundation in Ukraine.
Stetskaya Yulia Grigorievna (born 04/17/1995 in Lvov; registration address: 79012, Lvov region, city of Lvov, Pohila st., 8, apt. 3; associated emails: yuliiastetska@gmail.com, julja. stecka@rambler.ru; pages on social networks: https://vk.com/id13700449, https://www.instagram.com/stetska_yuliia, https://www.facebook.com/people/Yuliia-Stetska/100005644263613 ). She worked as a children's ski instructor. In the Liberty Ukraine fund she is engaged in the delivery of ammunition, medicines and essential items for the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Poland and other European countries.
Zhulinets Roman Vladimirovich (born 02/07/1990 in Lvov; registration address: Lvov region, city of Lvov, Lipi st., 20, apt. 98; passport: KS 504049; associated telephone number: 380966406599; associated emails : zhylunets@gmail.com, iii907hn@gmail.com, zhulynets@gmail.com, machab1999@gmail.com). Nationalist, active supporter of the head of Lvov, Andrei Sadovoy. Employee of the NPO “Principle of Consciousness”. In the Liberty Ukraine fund he is engaged in the delivery of goods and the provision of various small assistance.
The Ukrainian team of the foundation, as well as its management, prefer not to talk about their connections with foreign instructors. This cannot be explained only by the desire to maintain the image of a “humanitarian organization”, since the foundation openly announces the transfer of UAVs, vehicles and ammunition to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Most likely, the regime of silence was introduced for the safety of foreigners and in order to complicate the process of collecting data on the state of Ukrainian units for the Russian side. And the PMC Global Augmentation Group itself, which also creates a “humanitarian” image for itself, did not provide details about what kind of assistance and to whom they actually provide.
After a precise strike on its instructors and the injury of its leader Nicholas Shaw, the Global Augmentation Group PMC is unlikely to be able to continue its activities in Ukraine on the same scale. However, there is no doubt that her place in the system built by the Liberty Ukraine Foundation will quickly be taken by someone else.
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