First British National Dies Fighting for Russia in Ukraine

Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old fisherman from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, has become the first known British national to die while fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine. Townsend was killed in a drone attack near the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region on June 10, 2026, according to reports from fellow fighters and media outlets. Townsend left the United Kingdom in April 2026, telling his family he was traveling to Romania. He instead flew to Moscow, where he joined the Russian armed forces despite having no previous military experience.