Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Teen British mercenary gets murdered throughout first operation for Ukraine


(MENAFN) An 18-year-old British volunteer, James Wilton, was killed during his first mission with the Ukrainian military in the Donbass region, according to The Sun. Wilton, a member of Ukraine’s International Legion, was targeted by three Russian drones just minutes into the mission. The young recruit had traveled to Ukraine from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, at 17 years old, despite lacking military experience. He joined the fight as part of Ukraine's efforts to bolster its ranks amid heavy battlefield losses and personnel shortages.

The tragic incident occurred in July but was only reported recently. Wilton and a team of foreign fighters were tasked with delivering supplies to the front line when they were ambushed in an open field by Russian drones. Wilton’s friend, a US volunteer fighter, recalled the terrifying moment when the drones attacked, and he stated that Wilton, just 30 meters from the trench line, had no chance of survival.

Wilton is believed to be the youngest British national killed while fighting for Ukraine. Russia has labeled foreign fighters for Ukraine as mercenaries, treating them as legitimate military targets, while Western media often refer to them as volunteers. Earlier this month, another British fighter, Jake Waddington, was reported killed in Ukraine while on a reconnaissance mission.

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