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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Raphael Boyd

Yorkshireman believed to be first Briton to die fighting for Russia against Ukraine

Townsend in a video still sat looking at camera in living room wearing black T.shirt
Bradley Townsend, 33, is thought to have been killed by a remote-controlled drone. Photograph: Unpixs/YouTube

A man from South Yorkshire is believed to be the first British citizen to die fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old fisher from Barnsley, left Britain in April to join up with Russian separatists in eastern Donbas to aid in their invasion of Ukraine, despite having no previous combat experience or familiar ties to eastern Europe. Alongside 49-year-old Ben Stimson and 39-year-old Aiden Minnis, Townsend was granted Russian citizenship for joining the country’s military campaign.

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