A Marine veteran from Lake Forest, California, died June 27 in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, after a Russian missile hit a restaurant he was frequenting, according to his father.
Ian Frank Tortorici, 32, has been fighting for Ukraine since traveling there 15 months ago after the Russian invasion in February 2022.
He was on leave from the front lines when the attack occurred, according to his father and fellow veteran, Jon Frank.
According to a June 30 Facebook post by his father, Mr. Tortorici joined the International Legion unit of the Territorial Defense Forces for Ukraine as a contracted member of the Ukrainian army.
Ian Frank Tortorici fighting with the International Legion in Ukraine. (Courtesy of Jon Frank)
“He experienced a lifetime of death and horrors but chose to stay,” Mr. Frank wrote in the post. “He loved his team, his girlfriend, and Ukraine.”…