Teen British mercenary killed during first mission for Ukraine (PHOTOS)

Russia has accused the West of encouraging its citizens to fight for Kiev despite warnings that foreign involvement merely prolongs the conflict

An 18-year-old British fighter has been killed on his first mission while fighting with the Ukrainian military in Russia’s Donbass, The Sun has reported. James Wilton was a member of the Ukrainian International Legion – a unit of foreign fighters that Moscow considers mercenaries.

Ukraine has been recruiting foreign fighters since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022, as its armed forces struggle with desertion and battlefield losses. Despite a massive mobilization campaign, lowering the conscription age, and toughening penalties for draft evasion, Kiev’s army has been facing personnel shortages amid heavy losses due to Russia’s advances on the front line.

Wilton, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was killed just minutes into his first mission on the eastern front after being targeted by three Russian drones in an open field, his friend Jason, a US “volunteer fighter” who was with him at the time, told the outlet. The incident took place in July but has gone unreported until now.

James Wilton, an 18-year-old British volunteer from Manchester, was killed in Ukraine after just 20 minutes in his 1st Combat mission,
However, that's not the point. James died on July 23 of last year & was secretly cremated in Ukraine. All along, he had been reported as MIA.... pic.twitter.com/8xBhPiTCll— Nyto Mwangi