A father from Texas, Derek Huffman, moved his family to Russia to ditch the “woke” US. But now, he is serving on the front lines of the war against Ukraine.
In March 2025, 46-year-old Huffman packed up his wife, DeAnna, and their three daughters and relocated to Istra, a town about 25 miles from Moscow, The Telegraph reported. They did so through Russia’s “shared values” visa. The pathway offers a three-year residency permit that can eventually lead to citizenship, per The Washington Post.
The Huffmans became distraught by “progressive overreach” in American schools, as The Telegraph put it. They decided their home country was no longer for them.
“The final straw was when we found out my daughter Sophia learnt about lesbians from a girl in her class,” Huffman told Russia Today, per The Telegraph. “She didn’t fully understand it, but for us, that was enough to realize something had to change.”
The family took a trip to Moscow in May 2023 and were sold on what Russia had to offer.
“The city was cleaner, safer, and more orderly than we ever imagined,” Huffman explained. “Most importantly, we found a place that respected our values — where we finally felt at home.”
Initially, Huffman joined Vladimir Putin’s Russian military in a non-combat position (or so he thought). In doing so, he would receive an expedited citizenship process for his family.
“The point of this act for me is to earn a place here in Russia,” he told state media, per the New York Post.
Huffman added, “If I risk myself for our new country, no one will say that I am not a part of it. Unlike migrants in America who come there just like that, do not assimilate, and at the same time want free handouts.”
However, he was reportedly sent “near” the front line amid the country’s war with Ukraine, according to DeAnna. He has limited training and understanding of the Russian language.
“Unfortunately, when you’re taught in a different language, and you don’t understand the language, how are you really getting taught?” she pointed out in a video published on YouTube.
DeAnna added, “He feels like he’s being thrown to the wolves right now, and he’s kind of having to lean on faith, and that’s what we’re all doing.”
