In the media
September 08, 2026
Recently, The i Paper reported on the two British men who helped a Yorkshireman, Bradley Townsend, travel to Russia and join its military before he became the first Briton killed fighting for Putin. ICCT senior research fellow Kacper Rekawek, who tracks Russia's foreign fighters, was quoted explaining that the pattern fits a broader trend: international volunteers typically rely on a more experienced, locally trusted compatriot with military connections to help them navigate the language and logistics of settling in Russia. "Most of the people who want to go wouldn't know the language, they would have no clue about life in Russia," Rekawek said. "They need someone to be the connector."
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