A heroic British dad-of-two has died fighting Russian forces in Ukraine after he tried to rescue his injured comrades on the frontline.
Viktor Yatsunyk, born in Ukraine, lived in rural Oxfordshire in the UK and made the decision in March to return to his motherland to fight Vladimir Putin ’s barbaric invasion.
The 44-year-old dad-of-two was killed in a landmine explosion when he and fellow soldiers tried to evacuate injured comrades on the frontline near the recently-liberated city of Izyum.
It was at this city where Ukraine officials uncovered evidence of a mass burial site where President Volodymyr Zelensky said some of the dead had been tortured.
Viktor had reportedly spent four years as an army reservist in the British army before he moved to UK.
Viktor first came to the UK in 1998 but when the war began in late February he made the decision to travel back to Ukraine.
At first he just supported Ukrainian forces but at the beginning of May he signed a contract to join up fighting.
James Vasquez, a US military veteran fighting in Ukraine who has been sharing his time on the frontline on social media described receiving the news of Viktor’s death as “the most painful day of my life.”
He went on: “My good friend Viktor was killed in action while evacuating wounded men. He died a hero and took a piece of my heart with him.
“Till the day we meet again, in my heart is where I’ll keep you friend.”
He said Viktor was known as ‘The Brit’ amongst the fighters in Ukraine and that he “always took care of the stray animals at our base. Anytime there was any left over food he’d put it aside for them.”
Another friend of Viktor’s, Mateusz Lachowski, who was in Ukraine with him, also shared his own tribute for his friend.
He said: “He was one of the loveliest people I have met in my life. He was also a hero. Honour his memory.
“This is the video from the day before yesterday. The soldier who is feeding this cat is Wiktor, nicknamed Briton, my good friend. Wiktor died today as a result of a mine explosion. He left his family.”
Another friend, Marcin Wyrwał, also paid tribute to his slain brother-in-arms, saying: “A great warrior, a great friend, a good man. Viktor 'Britanic' died today by a mine. This war is cursed.”
Speaking previously about his decision to go and fight in Ukraine, he said leaving his family was the “hardest part”.
He said his children asked him “daddy when are you coming back?” but said he couldn’t even promise that.
Viktor died on Saturday 17 September in Izyum when he was saving from wounded comrades.
A landmine reportedly exploded, triggering a second detonation that killed him and wounded three others, it was reported.
It was also said that Roman’s wife has flown out to Ukraine to collect his body and his funeral is to be held later this week.
His death means he is the fourth British national to have died since the start of Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine.
