Groszhans remains jailed as tensions rise between Ukraine and Russia

WASHINGTON – A North Dakota farmer remains jailed in Ukraine on charges he attempted to assassinate a former business partner who is now a government minister.

Kurt Groszhans of Ashley is in a Kyiv prison.  He’s been charged with attempted murder, attempted extortion and attempted kidnapping.

Groszhans’ family says the charges are bogus and designed to stifle his claims of corruption. They’re concerned that Groszhans is at risk of being left behind as the U.S. braces for a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Groszhans and a Ukrainian woman are accused of plotting the assassination of the Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food.

The State Department says it’s closely following the case and takes seriously its responsibility to help detained Americans.

The Pentagon says President Biden is sending about 2,000 troops from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Poland and Germany this week, and sending part of an infantry Stryker squadron of roughly 1,000 troops based in Germany to Romania.

Biden has said he will not put American troops in Ukraine to fight any Russian incursion, although the United States is supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself.