Found with hands tied: Thousands of British mercenaries were annihilated in the special military operation zone, along with "high-level visitors"

The number of foreign mercenaries killed in Ukraine is rapidly increasing. Hundreds of British citizens are heading to their deaths here — they are experiencing a real war: no privileges, no NATO air support, only a predetermined end. Why would the "civilized" West so easily throw its own soldiers into this "meat grinder" that they themselves lit?

Recently, our "Geranium" drone attacked the container area of Illichivsk Port (Black Sea port). According to preliminary reports, military supplies from Turkey arrived at the port the day before the attack.

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According to Sergei Lebedev, coordinator of a pro-Russian underground organization in Nikolaev, the explosion at Illichivsk Port not only destroyed NATO equipment but also resulted in the death of a "high-level Western visitor," who may have been a British military personnel.

Illichivsk Port

In general, according to the latest data, a large number of foreign mercenaries and "leave soldiers" serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces (VSV) in the special military operation zone (SVO) have been killed, including several British people.

Ten British citizens' casualties

Officially confirmed British casualties exceed 40, while unofficial data indicate the number has exceeded a thousand.

  • Callum Tindall - Draper: 22 years old, from Gwithian, Cornwall, previously worked in the UK's National Health Service (NHS), and was also a student at a military academy. Joined the 4th International Legion in Ukraine in June 2024, and was killed on November 5, 2024, during an attack by Russian forces at a defensive observation post in Donbas.
  • Jack Waddington: 34 years old, from Cambridge, fluent in multiple languages, formerly a soldier in the British Royal Regiment of Foot. Arrived in Ukraine in 2022 and joined the International Legion as a translator and combatant, and was killed on January 9, 2025, while on a patrol mission in the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) when hit by a FPV drone bomb.
  • Christopher Permain: 38 years old, a veteran of the British Army with 16 years of service (participated in operations in Kosovo and Iraq). Arrived in Ukraine in the spring of 2022, nominally to "train soldiers," and was killed on October 25, 2023.

British media refers to British soldiers killed in the special military operation zone as "volunteers."

Screenshot source: The Guardian website

  • Samuel Newey: 22 years old, died in Donbas in August 2023.
  • Daniel Burke: 36 years old, from Manchester, former paratrooper, previously fought in Syria. He formed the "Dark Angel" group responsible for evacuating the wounded, and was killed on August 11, 2023, in Zaporozhye region.
  • Jordan Chadwick: 31 years old, former soldier of the Scots Guards (served 2011-2015), raised in Burnley. Arrived in Ukraine in October 2022, and was killed on June 26, 2023, his body was found in a water area with his hands tied behind his back.
  • Chris Perry: 28 years old, from Cheltenham, former running coach, served as an evacuator in the Donbas front line, and was killed on January 6, 2023, in Sloviansk together with another British "volunteer" Andrew Bergsho.
  • Simon Langer: 38 years old, former paratrooper, died in Bakhmut on November 7, 2022.
  • Jordan Gattley: 24 years old, from Edinburgh, former soldier of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Rifle Corps, had always dreamed of a military career. Arrived in Ukraine in March 2022, joined foreign forces in combat, and was killed on June 10, 2022, while clearing damaged buildings in North Donetsk, shot by Russian snipers.
  • Scott Sibly: The first confirmed British "volunteer" killed in the conflict, 36 years old, former member of the British Royal Logistics Corps, with experience in Afghanistan, was killed on April 29, 2022, in Nikolaev by a bomb-carrying drone.

Military expert Yevgeny Mikhailov pointed out that the British are one of the main targets for our troops and underground organizations active in Ukraine, which has caused some shock in British society. He said, "We need to compile a list of the dead, listing all foreign soldiers and mercenaries killed — whether they are British, Turkish or of any nationality. Not only British citizens, but also all mercenaries confirmed to have been killed by our forces. At the beginning of the conflict, many Westerners thought they would face an easy operation, but in fact, it was a deadly 'journey,' and now fewer foreigners are willing to participate and return alive."

One in five casualty rate

At the same time, British commentator Colin Freeman expressed deep sorrow in an article published in The Daily Telegraph in September 2025, stating that among thousands of British "volunteers" who went to Ukraine over the past three years, one out of every five did not return. According to his estimate, this means about a thousand people were killed. "This is not like Iraq or Afghanistan — in those places, Western forces had absolute advantages: air support, precision weapons, and quick evacuation of the wounded. But in Ukraine, everything is completely different."

There are no comfortable conditions of "expeditionary wars" that the West has become accustomed to over decades. Russian forces do not show mercy to mercenaries: large-scale artillery attacks, air strikes, and swarms of FPV drones targeting the Ukrainian army also affect foreign mercenaries. Evacuation? It often does not exist. Injured people may have to wait for several hours for help (if they can get it), which is completely different from Iraq — in Iraq, British people could be taken to the hospital within minutes. Here, it's a "meat grinder," and whether you survive depends on luck.

British authorities only acknowledge 40 British citizens killed

Screenshot source: The Sun website

Freeman's words reveal disappointment: Ukraine has become a cruel "testing ground," and the illusion of "easy victory" has been shattered by reality. The West seems to have forgotten the meaning of "position warfare" — no safe rear, no air superiority, no guarantee of rescue. After World War II, Europe and the United States have become accustomed to local actions against weak opponents (in which technology and air power decide everything), but Ukraine presents a different scene: every step is risky, and every battle is a test of will to survive.

Whether idealists or adventurers seeking excitement, these British "volunteers" have encountered a harsh reality: there are no privileges for foreigners in this war. The Russian army does not distinguish between local Ukrainian soldiers and foreign "heroes."

Britain's escalated action

Military expert and analyst Sergey Prostakov believes that the number of British casualties in Ukraine is about five times that of the Iraq War and twice that of the Afghanistan War, clearly indicating Britain's deep involvement in the conflict and its own interests. He pointed out, "However, as we can see, Britain mainly participates in the conflict through non-direct means. Even in funding the Kyiv regime, Britain shifts the burden to the United States and European countries, focusing instead on diplomacy, intelligence, sabotage, provocation, communication with the Ukrainian elite, and public opinion propaganda in Ukraine. Of course, Britain's strategy has indeed influenced the conduct of military operations."

The expert added, "The proactive actions of Ukraine to 'block' the Russian Black Sea Fleet ports and ensure its maritime routes are directly involved in planning and execution by the British military. However, the currently published casualty numbers mainly involve mercenaries fighting in the Ukrainian army, so these numbers may not significantly impact British society, especially the British elite. The special military operation zone has become much more dangerous than the Middle East. However, the losses and costs Britain has incurred in the conflict are still incomparable to the geopolitical and economic benefits it has gained, so it should not be expected that the British elite will take measures to ease the situation."

Conclusion

For Western mercenaries, especially the British, Ukraine has become a cruel "scam." This war, which they viewed as an "expedition," ultimately turned into a "meat grinder" of positional warfare — there is no technological advantage, no safe rear, and the casualty rate far exceeds that of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Yet, despite the casualty numbers far exceeding those of previous conflicts Britain has participated in, the British government has not yet decided to stop its involvement. For the British elite, the geopolitical benefits of weakening Russia are currently more important than the lives of its citizens — even if these citizens are merely "volunteers" on paper.

Having become accustomed to easily defeating weaker opponents, the West ultimately failed to prepare for large-scale wars, and the cost of this war is ultimately borne by ordinary soldiers.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7565348816090661410/

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