Ukraine-Russia warfare newest: British teen killed on first mission as Trump calls for uncommon earth metals from Kyiv

Trump describes Ukraine war as ‘bullets whacking and hitting men’

An 18-year-old British volunteer has been killed minutes into his first mission in Ukraine, his father said.

“My son James had only just turned 18 when he decided he wanted to go volunteer and fight in Ukraine,” his father Graham Wilton said.

“I’ll never get over this. I didn’t want him to go but his heart was set on it. He wanted to help Ukraine.”

The confirmation of Wilton’s death comes as Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he wanted Ukraine to supply rare earth metals in exchange for American military and financial aid.

“We’re telling Ukraine they have very valuable rare earths,” Mr Trump said. “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earths and other things.”

Earlier, a senior eastern Ukrainian separatist who had organised combat units to fight against his own country was reportedly killed following an explosion in northwest Moscow.

At least five people were wounded or killed after what has been reported as a bomb detonated at the Alye Parusa residential complex in the capital.

Home Office U-turn allows Ukrainian refugees to bring children to UK after families separated

The Home Office has reversed “catastrophic” changes to the Homes for Ukraine refugee scheme to ensure that children can now join their parents in the UK, after The Independent highlighted instances of families being separated.

While Britain has offered sanctuary to nearly 300,000 Ukrainians after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, changes to the rules issued overnight last February by the Tory government have prevented some parents from bringing their children to the UK.

Andy Gregory4 February 2025 05:15

Ryanair boss plans to resume Ukraine flights within six weeks war ending

Ryanair is planning to resume flights to and from Ukraine in the hope that Donald Trump will successfully encourage a ceasefire with Russia.

Michael O’Leary, Ryanair chief executive, said that the airline is drafting plans to allow flights to restart within six weeks of the conflict ending at a press conference in London on Wednesday, reports The Telegraph.

Natalie Wilson reports:

Andy Gregory4 February 2025 05:00

Trump wants Ukraine to supply US with rare earths in exchange for aid

Donald Trump has said he wants Ukraine to supply the United States with rare earth metals as a form of payment for financially supporting the country’s war efforts against Russia.

Mr Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said Ukraine was willing to participate in the idea, adding that he wants “equalisation” from Ukraine for Washington’s “close to $300bn” in support.

“We’re telling Ukraine they have very valuable rare earths,” Mr Trump said. “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earths and other things.”

It was not immediately clear if the US president was using the term “rare earths” to refer to all types of critical minerals or just to rare earths.

Rare earths are a group of 17 metals used to make magnets that turn power into motion for electric vehicles, cellphones and other electronics. There are no known substitutes.

Arpan Rai4 February 2025 04:53

Russia suffers major casualty as deputy governor killed by landmine in Kursk

A deputy regional governor has become the most senior Russian government official to die fighting against Ukraine.

Sergey Efremov, the deputy governor of the eastern Primorsky Krai region, died in Kursk, where Russian forces have been trying to beat back a Ukrainian invasion since last August.

Efremov was reportedly killed along with a military officer on Friday when their vehicle struck a landmine and blew up.

Arpan Rai reports:

Andy Gregory4 February 2025 04:00

UN nuclear agency chief heads to Kyiv for crucial safety inspection

The UN nuclear agency’s top official is heading to Kyiv for a safety inspection of the war-hit nation’s nuclear plants.

Rafael Grossi, the director general at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on X:”On my 11th visit to Ukraine since the war began. I’m heading to Kyivska substation, critical for the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power, to assess damage and help prevent a nuclear accident.”

Last week, the IAEA said in a statement that Mr Grossi would visit Kyiv for “high-level” meetings to ensure nuclear safety in the war that Russia started in February 2022.

More than half of the electricity consumed in Ukraine is generated by three nuclear power plants, but Russian missile and drone attacks on substations threaten the stable operation of nuclear power plants, according to Ukraine’s nuclear inspector’s office.

Arpan Rai4 February 2025 03:59

Ukraine brings back 12 children forcibly taken to Russia

Ukraine has brought home 12 children forcefully taken by Russia, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said late yesterday.

“As part of the initiative of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA, it was possible to return home 12 children who were under the pressure of the Russian occupation,” Mr Yermak said on his Telegram channel.

The Bring Kids Back UA programme under Mr Zelensky is an initiative to return home all children forcefully deported from Ukraine, according to the initiative’s statement.

Among the returned children is a 16-year-old girl who lost her mother, a 17-year-old teenager who was issued a summons to the Russian army, and an eight-year-old girl, Mr Yermak said.

There was no immediate comment from Russia.

An arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin is already issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which accuses him of war crimes by taking hundreds of Ukrainian children from orphanages.

Arpan Rai4 February 2025 03:46

Father of Brit man, who died in Ukraine, pays tribute: ‘His heart was set on it’

The father of an 18-year-old British volunteer James Wilton, who was killed by a Russian drone in Ukraine, has paid tribute and said his son was a “polite, likeable young man”.

“My son James had only just turned 18 when he decided he wanted to go volunteer and fight in Ukraine,” his father Graham Wilton told The Sun.

“I didn’t necessarily agree with his decision on this but we talked at length about why he wanted to do this,” he said.

“I’ll never get over this. I didn’t want him to go but his heart was set on it. He wanted to help Ukraine,” his father said.

“James was a polite, likeable young man and never really had a bad word to say about anyone or anything,” he said.

Arpan Rai4 February 2025 03:34

Watch: Ukraine uses old-fashioned weapons in fight to down Russian drones

Ukraine uses old-fashioned weapons in fight to down Russian drones
Andy Gregory4 February 2025 03:00

Who is the 18-year-old Brit James Wilton killed in Ukraine invasion?

James Wilton, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire was only 17 when he left college and travelled to join international fighters in Ukraine.

It was against the wishes of his mother and sisters, because he wanted to make a difference and to help those suffering from the war.

Within days of reaching the battlefront, Wilton was killed by a Russian drone when crossing open ground with a heavy pack on his back. The young man could not be saved, despite the efforts of his friend, an American volunteer named Jason.

It was his first mission fighting in Ukraine.

British volunteer James Wilton was killed by a Russian drone while on his first mission fighting in Ukraine
British volunteer James Wilton was killed by a Russian drone while on his first mission fighting in Ukraine (Handout/PA Wire)
The funeral of James Wilton carried out in Ukraine
The funeral of James Wilton carried out in Ukraine (PA Media)
Arpan Rai4 February 2025 02:55

Exclusive: Ex-Tory MP joins Ukraine’s foreign legion to aid fight against Putin

A former Tory MP who lost his seat at the general election last year has joined the Ukrainian International Legion to help in the fight against Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Jack Lopresti, a former deputy chair of the Conservative Party, was previously the MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke in Gloucestershire, but is now based in Kyiv using his skills in the ongoing war.

As an MP, Mr Lopresti visited Ukraine and was a strong advocate in parliament for more aid to be given to Volodymyr Zelensky to support the country’s efforts to defeat Russia. He has also served in the UK Army Reserve as a corporal.

Our political editor David Maddox has the full report:

Andy Gregory4 February 2025 02:00

Source: independent.co.uk