A British mercenary who is fighting for Russia in Ukraine has said he’s willing to die for the ’cause’.
Ben Stimson, 48, and Aiden Minnis, 37, both fled to the Donetsk region to join Vladimir Putin’s forces and posted a video bragging about it.
But in a new move, Minnis claims he’s willing to die for the cause.
He said his fellow soldiers are his brothers, adding: ‘I trust them and I will die for them. They have proven themselves and helped me a lot.
‘We understand each other. A bit of pidgin English and pidgin Russian and sign language. It gets done.’
Minnis’ mum, Tina was not aware her son was fighting for the Russians, and says she has not had contact with her son for years after disowning him.
They are the first two British men known to be fighting for Putin, with Stimson, from Oldham, Manchester, saying in the video: ‘Every man takes his choice… a lot of us, the foreign volunteers, have chosen to come over to this side, to the Russian side.’
Minnis is a former National Front member and convicted criminal from Chippenham, Wiltshire, and is believed to have joined Stimson after the war in Ukraine broke out.
He has multiple charges, ranging from dangerous driving causing the deaths of two people, a racist attack and beating up a homeless man.
He was arrested upon his arrival back in the UK and jailed for five years.
The British mercenary’s claims come as a former British Army commander slammed the two Brits as a ‘disgrace’ for taking up arms against Ukraine.
Former British Army commander Colonel Richard Kemp told the Mirror:
‘These two are an absolute disgrace and are traitors who upon their return to the UK should be arrested and jailed.
‘These two traitors clearly don’t know who the enemy is.’
Stimson first went to Ukraine in 2015, when he fought alongside Russian separatists in the Donbas region.
Before he left for Russia again, he posted: ‘I’m ready to go now, bags packed. I just hope the British police don’t arrest me and make something up or twist things to incriminate me on something that does not exist.’
He was arrested upon arrival at Manchester Airport, but was still allowed to fly to Moscow through Istanbul.
Stimson’s father Martin, 76, has disowned his son since 2016
Martin said of his mercenary son: ‘I’ve cut him off. Before I cut him off he was in Moscow. I’ve been looking after Ben on and off for years and years. He’s on his own now. He’s 48 now, he can do what he wants.
‘He’s been a constant worry. I want a bit of peace at my age. You never know what he’ll do next.’
