The first video that I posted after disappearance, with his wife Lyudmiia, explaining is here:

https://www.brighteon.com/87e56c6c-949f-4c45-8169-0f42287ecf8e

Someone was nice to translate this video, below ...then the man talking translates in writing in his own words, as he posted at Russell's channel, after this recording. (in translated video part, he finally says the info in last paragraph, then his own words after that - Cynthia)

Hello, my name is Vasily, call sign "Tyorkin". Many people know me who have served with me under other call signs. My video message at the moment is disturbing about one man, his name is Russell Bentley, call sign "Texas". A man who came to Donbass in 2014 to defend the people of Donbass. Russell is an ideological communist. Life in the United States did not work out for him because of his ideas, statements and opinions. He always dreamed of coming to Russia, living and being Russian. The grief that happened in the Donetsk People's Republic in 2014 prompted him to do so. He left his homeland, relatives and friends and came to Donbass to defend the people of the Donetsk People's Republic. He fought in the battles for Donetsk airport. Until 2018 he was in service, despite his age (in 2014 he was 55 years old). This year on 20 June he will be 65 years old. Since 2018 he helped a lot to the guys on the front, a lot of people know him, local natives know him well too. Helped orphanages a lot, including targeted help to people. I personally witnessed this many times. I was together with him a lot both in fights and in helping people. Here is our common photo (above Donetsk airport, below Savur-Mohyla on my birthday in 2019). It says so on the back of the photo.

So basically what am I getting at and what am I trying to say? On the 8th of April 2024. Russell Bentley with the call sign 'Texas' was detained in the centre of the city of Donetsk by people who belong to our famous tank brigade. Known by whom, three men. The main one is the commander, name of Vitaly. Further for well-known reasons I will not say the full details on the video. We know who they are, what they are, where they are. They are now being dealt with by the investigative committee, interrogating them. On 8 April 2024, we managed to find out that he was detained for filming the arrival of HIMARS in the centre of Donetsk.

His type written post already translated was at Russell's channel after video recording was posted there:

Everyone who knows and recognizes me in this video, please support me. And a lot of people know me. My appeal to those people who detained him. Guys, if you exceeded your authority and badly damaged (him), this is war, he himself fought more than one war. Everybody understands that. There will be no hard feelings towards anyone. So I ask you to please let the man go home, as he is not the last man. A lot of serious people have turned on him. And if God forbid something unrepeatable happens to him, you will never be forgiven, you will be searched and pursued always. And so we all understand - war, overreacted, all sorts of things happen, it's nothing terrible. I've been on the front for 10 years, I've seen all sorts of things. And so has he.

Second. If he was detained in connection with his occupation, then his occupation is absolutely transparent, it is posted on Telegram. In many videos, in reports made about him and with his participation about what is happening in Donbas, about shelling, hitting places where people who have nothing to do with the front live, that is, they are absolutely civilian people. He's covering it. I understand that during hostilities there is always a propaganda department, which exists in the special services. And it is right that it works, it should work. Therefore, if his detention is related to this, a big request to the guys from these authorities is to inform his closest person under the obligation, under the signature of non-disclosure, so that she could sleep peacefully, realising that everything is all right with him. Then check what you want, he is an honest and honourable man and there is nothing behind him. He had no access to any state secrets, he had been in the trenches with us all his life as an infantryman.

I'll summarize my conversation. I have known this man for many years, I know him from a great side, I know the kindness of his heart and gracious character. A big request to those who are conducting this investigation or are involved in one way or another in the disappearance of this man to assist in his speedy return home. To those who through the Internet will see this video and will make fun in the sense that he, say, got what he had to get, to our fifth column "faggots-2" - shut your mouth, and we will get to you sooner or later, no one laughs at your corpses, we just bury them. I have everything. All those who recognise me: Strength and honour.

Let's help Texas.

https://t.me/TXDPR/13464