SANDUSKY, Ohio — An Army veteran from Sandusky said he had interactions in Ukraine with the man who’s now accused of plotting to kill former President Trump.
Terry Burton, 47, said Ryan Routh appeared to be mentally unstable right away, spewing odd claims and not understanding what was needed to help the Ukrainians.
Burton said that after hearing about Russian President Putin invading Ukraine, he knew he needed to be there even though he has no real ties to the country.
“There are very few times in your life that you get the chance to be on this side of absolute right,” said Burton. “I like to say it started out by helping out with the Ukrainian war, but when I got there and met the people, it became my war.”
He told us he went to Kyiv in late March of 2022 just after the Russian invasion.
Burton documented his time in war as he wrote for The Sandusky Register.
It was in Kyiv that he said he met Routh.
'Every conversation was about how he was upset that Biden had won'
“It was apparent really at first sight that he wasn’t exactly what they were looking for,” said Burton. “He really wasn’t what any volunteer group was looking for.”
Burton said Routh told him he had no military experience and never fired a weapon but wanted to join up. Burton said Routh talked about how he knew of 3,000 Afghani Taliban and Syrian ISIS soldiers who were NATO-trained that could join the Ukranian fight, which Burton found odd.
He also questioned Routh's clothing.
“When I first met him, he was wearing an American flag as a cape. He was wearing an American flag T-shirt as well as American flag baggy pants,” said Burton, adding that Routh would wear a pro-Trump flag at times.
“Every conversation was about Donald Trump. Every conversation was about how he was upset that Biden had won,” said Burton about Routh. “He mentioned January 6th. He wished that he would have been a part of that. That was a new American Revolution.”
Burton told us Routh was shouting "USA" in the streets and that people should be thanking him personally because the U.S. saved Europe in World War II. Burton said there was a Russian bounty on American volunteers in Ukraine.
“And with him bringing this attention to Americans being in this area, that was tactically not sound,” said Burton.
He told us Routh's actions escalated into a physical fight at one point.
In 2023, Burton said he returned to Kyiv, and Routh came up to him like they were long-lost friends.
“He started going on now about 100,000 Afghani soldiers, Taliban soldiers and ISIS soldiers that were ready. They were loyal to him. He could lead an entire division,” Burton said.
'This mentally ill individual that I dealt with in Ukraine just tried to assassinate the former president'
When Burton saw the recent reports about Routh now being accused of trying to shoot the former president, it was surprising.
“It was a little bit surreal,” said Burton. “It was like, wow. This mentally ill individual that I dealt with in Ukraine just tried to assassinate the former president.”
Burton wants people to know that Routh does not represent the people who are there arm-and-arm with Ukraine.
“This is somebody who was a pariah to those of us who were helping in any capacity,” said Burton. “This isn’t the norm.”
Just before our sit-down interview with Burton, he told us he had just come from an interview with the FBI at the Erie County Sheriff's Department to tell agents his experiences with Routh.
Burton said he himself is now part of humanitarian missions to Ukraine bring them needed supplies.
Routh has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
