A 23-year-old British man, Ayrton Redfearn, died in action in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on May 9. His mother, Natasha Redfearn, said she lived in fear of police coming with bad news and that the fear became reality on May 11. She described the impact on her family, including her 10-year-old son. Redfearn grew up in Devon, joined a Torquay Air Cadet as a child, and joined the RAF at 17 before traveling overseas. He later joined a specialist unit supporting the Ukrainian army in 2025. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it is supporting the family and is in contact with Ukrainian authorities.
"A 23-year-old British man, Ayrton Redfearn, was killed in action in Ukraine's Donetsk region. He died on May 9. From Devon, Mr. Redfearn had joined a specialist unit supporting the Ukrainian army in 2025, his mother, Natasha, told the BBC, adding she "lived in fear of the police coming to my door with bad news." "This fear became reality on the evening of 11 May and the world of myself, and Ayrton's 10-year-old brother, then fell apart," she said."
"Mr. Redfearn was a Torquay Air Cadet as a child, joining the RAF at 17 before traveling overseas. His mother stated: "We are trying to have just 1% of the strength, bravery and courage of Ayrton, and if we can do this, it will help us to eventually come to terms with our life without him. I am very grateful for all the tributes, messages and support from those who knew Ayrton and from strangers.""
"A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Ukraine, and are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities." The FCDO war"
#ukraine-war #british-national #donetsk-region #foreign-commonwealth-and-development-office #military-service
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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