Joining Russia an 'unbelievably stupid thing to do,' says Tugendhat after 'normal Yorkshire lad' dies fighting for Putin
Former security minister Tom Tugendhat condemned joining 'the Russian army in its war of aggression' after 33-year-old Bradley Townsend became the first known British fighter to die in the conflict
Tom Tugendhat has said joining the Russian army is ‘an unbelievably stupid thing to do’ after a ‘normal Yorkshire lad’ became the first UK national to die fighting for Vladimir Putin’s forces in Ukraine.
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Bradley Townsend died in the conflict after leaving his home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, in April, and telling his family he was going to Romania.
Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative MP for Tonbridge and former security minister, told LBC he was “very sorry for him and his family” but added that “joining the Russian army in its war of aggression is an unbelievably stupid thing to do".
“It's extremely misguided. And, you know, it's no question about it, it's criminal. Because you're engaging in an army that is committing the most barbarous war crimes that the world has seen in decades.
Tugenhat condemned Russia’s use of drone warfare against civilians in Ukraine and emphasised the importance of the country prioritising national security to ensure it remained “resilient at home”.
“It's no good offering help to others if you're not prepared to defend the United Kingdom,” he added.
The sentiment was echoed by defence minister Luke Pollard, who told LBC that anyone fighting for Russia was "standing against the UK’s national interest" and warned they would "face consequences upon their return".
This comes as Andy Burnham takes his first trip as prime minister to Kyiv, which the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport has says makes it "very clear whose side we’re on".
He added that "Russia could stop this war today if they decide to" following the loss of troops across the country.
The 33-year-old's family later discovered that the fisherman had travelled to Moscow, where he was met by British pro-Russian fighters Aiden Minnis and Ben Stimson, who reportedly recruited him online, before signing a contract to fight on the Ukrainian frontline, despite having no military experience.
Just 10 weeks later, on June 10, Townsend was killed in a “storm operation” by a remote controlled FPV drone in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, near the city of Lyman, according to a Russia-linked social media account seen by LBC, which referred to him by his callsign “Badger.”
The account, known for repeating Russian propaganda, described Townsend as a “warrior in a holy war” who had “sacrificed his life for the cause".
In a video interview with Minnis, posted on Telegram in April, the 33-year-old described himself as “a normal working-class lad from Yorkshire” who wanted to support Russian separatists in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, chillingly admitting that his trip may become a suicide mission.
He said: “I came with the idea that I probably wouldn’t be able to go home. I’d definitely get persecuted if I went back.
“I’m not here for a suicide mission, but I understand that’s what can happen.
“This was my own decision, I wasn’t pushed into anything.”
Writing online, Townsend added that he was partly motivated by his mining roots, claiming Donbas workers had donated a month’s wages to Yorkshire miners during the 1980s strikes, and that he had gone to “repay that favour”.
In August, Stimson, an Oldham-born pro-Russian fighter who was jailed in Britain in 2017 after joining a Russian-backed militia in eastern Ukraine, wrote on Telegram that Townsend’s flat cap had been brought back to the UK by a friend and would be left on Ilkley Moor.
Stimson denied claims he had recruited Townsend, claiming he had “advised him to stay in the UK,” adding: “Brad was adamant he wanted to go and fight.”
The Foreign Office has since been made aware of his death and is supporting Townsend’s family, LBC understands.
Townsend’s death has sent shockwaves through the local community, with some taking to social media to express their horror that he died fighting for Russia.
One man, who went to school with Townsend, said he had been “brainwashed”, while another friend said he was a “normal guy” who had been “indoctrinated” by people who “saw his vulnerability as an opportunity to recruit him into their twisted cause.”
Another described how Townsend had struggled with mental illness and addiction.
Townsend was among a small number of UK nationals fighting for Russia in Ukraine, but he is the first known British fighter to have died on the Russian side since President Putin’s forces first invaded the country in 2014.
He was previously photographed with Minnis, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, and Stimson, in front of a monument to the Allied forces who defeated Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
Minnis has said his family disowned him after he left to fight for Russia, while Stimson’s father has said he was “horrified” by his son’s actions.
The pair could face terrorism charges if they ever return home.