Brit soldier fighting in Ukraine tells how he ‘pumped Russian full of lead’

On Feb 18, 2023

A Brit fighting in Ukraine has claimed to have ‘pumped a Russian full of lead’ from close range after the soldier killed his medic in a surprise attack.

In an interview with the BBC, James Dee, recalled the incident, which took place in Kharkiv: “One of my friends was digging a trench, and I was sitting on the edge.

“You know when you get that feeling someone’s behind you, I looked behind me, sure enough, there was someone there.

“He was only 10m away from me, looking all confused.”

Russia have waged war on Ukraine for very almost a year
(Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The volunteer fighter, who had no previous military experience, saw the attacker’s “face change” as soon as they made eye contact.

The Brit shouted: “put your gun down”, but the Russian quickly dropped to the ground and opened fire. Consequently, bullets flew back-and-forth with Dee’s target sustaining fatal injuries.

However, he wasn’t the only casualty. Former landscape gardener and British medic, Craig Mackintosh, 48, passed away amidst the crossfire.

Russian soldiers were pictured walking along a street in Mariupol, Ukraine last year
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The volunteer from Thetford, in Norfolk, was a father of two daughters and two step-daughters. Between the ages of 16 to 23, he served in the Territorial Army, with the ambition of making it as a full-time soldier. But due to an inoperable cyst near his brain, he couldn’t pass the medical checks to join the British Army.

The harrowing events rendered Dee devastated. He confessed: “I looked down, and I’ll be honest, I cried. Not because I was scared.

“But seeing it up close and personal, you’re talking with someone, having a laugh and life’s just gone within the click of the fingers.”