US Senator Lindsey Graham visited a secret Ukrainian military drone factory just one day before his sudden death Saturday evening age 71.
The South Carolina Republican toured a production facility belonging to Ukrainian defence company SkyFall as part of his trip to Ukraine — hours before the announcement of his death from a sudden illness, Ukraine Pravda reported.
During the visit, Graham, 71, also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as did his House of Representatives colleague, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX).
On Friday, Graham said he reached an agreement with the White House on a Russia sanctions bill that the Trump administration is prepared to support.
Graham was shown around a plant where Ukraine’s deadly Vampire bomber drones, also known as “Baba Yaga,” are manufactured.
He said the US can learn a lot from Ukraine’s advancements in UAV technology.
“I believe that it would be a huge mistake for America not to cooperate with Ukraine in the field of drones. They are ready to help us, because we were ready to support Ukraine in the most difficult times,” Graham was quoted as saying.
Capable of carrying an explosive charge behind enemy lines, the drones are essential to Ukraine’s military strategy.
President Zelensky paid tribute to Sen. Graham in the wake of the tragic news.
“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and of the values that make our world safer,” Zelensky said in his statement, noting that Graham had visited Ukraine ten times during the war.
“We were in constant dialogue, which I will miss,” the Ukrainian President said, adding that “in recent weeks [Graham] worked on important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including strengthening sanctions against Russia.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called Graham a “true friend” and “one of the strongest voices” in Ukraine’s war against Russia. adding that the late senator pushed for bolstering sanctions against Russia and helped provide Ukraine with the means to defend itself.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also paid tribute, saying that Sen. Graham “was a powerful advocate for America who believed strongly in the NATO Alliance and was actively working to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
Graham died Saturday night “from a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement read.
Emergency personnel responded to a call for “cardiac arrest” at Graham’s DC home, with photographs from the scene showing paramedics carrying a person on a stretcher from Graham’s home to an awaiting ambulance.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that Graham’s “long and dedicated service in the Air Force and in Congress carried him to far-flung regions of the world,” adding that “he was a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe.”
Thune said Graham “believed in the might of America to achieve good in the world and dedicated his life to advancing that cause.”
