British man from Devon killed in action in Ukraine
Ayrton Redfearn died in the Donetsk region on May 9
A 23-year-old British man has been killed in action in Ukraine.
Ayrton Redfearn died in the Donetsk region on May 9, Devon Live first reported.
The young man, from Devon, had joined a specialist unit supporting the Ukrainian army in 2025, his mother told the BBC on Saturday.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Ukraine, and are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities”.
His mother, who gave her name as Natasha, told the BBC she “lived in fear of the police coming to my door with bad news”.
“This fear became reality on the evening of 11 May and the world of myself, and Ayrton’s 10-year-old brother, then fell apart,” she said.
Mr Redfearn was a member of the Torquay Air Cadets as a child and at 17, he joined the RAF before travelling overseas, the BBC reported.
His mother added: “We are trying to have just 1% of the strength, bravery and courage of Ayrton, and if we can do this, it will help us to eventually come to terms with our life without him.
“I am very grateful for all the tributes, messages and support from those who knew Ayrton and from strangers.”
The FCDO warns that British nationals fighting in Ukraine face a high risk of maltreatment.
Its website says: “British nationals fighting in Ukraine have been killed or captured. British nationals undertaking humanitarian work have also been detained by Russian authorities.
“The risk to life, or of maltreatment, is high.”