# British national death fighting for Russia in Ukraine > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/british-national-death-fighting-for-russia-in-ukraine > Updated: 2026-08-26T19:37:00.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2. Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old former fisherman from South Yorkshire, is reported to be the first British national confirmed dead while fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine. Townsend reportedly died on June 10 near Lyman in the Donetsk region after being struck by a remote-controlled FPV drone. Townsend traveled to Moscow in April after telling family and friends he was going to Romania. He joined the Russian military without prior combat training, motivated by opposition to Western military aid to Ukraine and a desire to ‘repay the favour’ of historical support from Donbas miners to Yorkshire miners during the 1980s strikes. He was reportedly serving alongside other British nationals, including Aiden Minnis and Ben Stimson. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has confirmed it is in contact with his family. While British officials and politicians have condemned his decision to join enemy forces, his family has expressed distress regarding Russia’s lack of cooperation in repatriating his body. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-26: British national Bradley Townsend killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old British man from Yorkshire, has died in the Donetsk region while fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine, marking a rare instance of a UK citizen killed in the conflict. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/british-national-bradley-townsend-killed-fighting-for-russia-in-ukraine ### 2026-08-24: Bradley Townsend becomes first Briton killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old from Yorkshire, is the first known British national to die fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine, killed by a drone strike near Lyman in the Donetsk region. 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bradley-townsend-becomes-first-british-national-killed-fighting-for-russia-in-ukraine --- Cite as: British national death fighting for Russia in Ukraine. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/british-national-death-fighting-for-russia-in-ukraine