Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
A British citizen fighting for Russia has been reported killed in Ukraine, marking a significant and tragic development in the ongoing conflict. Bradley Townsend, aged 33, died on 10 June following an attack carried out by a remote-controlled FPV drone in the eastern Donetsk region. This incident is understood to be the first recorded death of a British national aligned with Russian forces during the war.
Townsend originally left Barnsley, South Yorkshire, earlier this year, informing his family that he was traveling to Romania. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) acknowledged the reports of his death and confirmed it was in communication with his relatives. Meanwhile, this news coincides with Andy Burnham’s arrival in Kyiv for his initial foreign visit as the UK prime minister, which also marks the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union. During this visit, the UK government disclosed it had agreed to share blueprints for British-made components of the Scalp missile, enabling Ukraine to manufacture the weapon domestically.
Footage shared online on 4 April features Townsend alongside two other British nationals, Ben Stimson and Aiden Minnis, who had been granted Russian citizenship due to their involvement fighting in the occupied Donbas region. In the video, Townsend describes himself as “a normal working-class lad from Yorkshire” and reflects on his choice to fight for Russia, saying, “I came with the idea that I probably won’t be able to go home, definitely get persecuted if I went back.” He also acknowledged the risks, stating, “I’m not here for a suicide mission, but I understand that’s what can happen.” Stimson and Minnis are reported as the first Brits to join Russian forces since the full-scale invasion commenced in February 2022. Stimson had previously been imprisoned in the UK in 2015 for joining pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Following Townsend’s death, Minnis used social media to announce the loss, referring to Townsend by his call sign, “Badger.” The FCDO has issued a strong warning advising against travel to Russia and highlights the limited consular support available for those engaged in conflict zones. The UK government’s foreign travel guidance for Ukraine explicitly states that fighting or assisting others in the war may constitute offenses under UK law, potentially leading to prosecution upon return. While several British nationals have died during the war, all had been fighting for Ukraine, unlike Townsend. He is believed to be the second Yorkshireman to lose his life in the conflict, after James Wilton, an 18-year-old from Huddersfield who was killed in 2024 while volunteering with Ukrainian forces
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.