A British soldier killed on duty in Ukraine has been named by the Ministry of Defence.
Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, of the Parachute Regiment, died in a ‘tragic accident’ whilst observing the testing of new defensive capability in the war-torn country.
The MoD said in a statement that the accident occurred on Tuesday morning away from the front lines of Ukraine’s defence against Russia‘s invasion.
The Government department said ‘our thoughts are with Lance Corporal Hooley’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time’.
Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Lance Corporal George Hooley of the Parachute Regiment, who died in Ukraine.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said: ‘Lance Corporal Hooley was injured in a tragic accident away from the front lines while observing Ukrainian forces testing a new defensive capability.
‘His life was full of courage and determination. He served our country with honour and distinction around the world in the cause of freedom and democracy, including as part of the small number of British personnel in Ukraine.’
The Parachute Regiment is an airborne infantry regiment of the British Army, primarily based at Merville Barracks in Colchester.
It has not been disclosed which battalion of the Parachute Regiment L/Cpl Hooley served in. The 1st Battalion is under the direction of special forces while other battalions are part of the British Army’s rapid response formation.
The Ministry of Defence has named the British soldier killed on duty in Ukraine as 28-year-old Lance Corporal George Hooley
Ukrainian servicemen fire a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) towards Russian troops near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region on December 9, 2025
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, meanwhile said yesterday he was ‘deeply saddened to hear the tragic news that a member of the UK Armed Forces died this morning in Ukraine. My sincere condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.’
While it is not known how many British troops are in Ukraine training troops to fight against Vladimir Putin’s invasion, but a leaked American military document suggested 50 members of the UK’s special forces were on the ground in 2023.
A small number of medics have been deployed to Ukraine, alongside personnel who provide security for the UK’s diplomatic presence in the country.
As of September this year, at least 40 Britons have died fighting for Ukraine.
The youngest of these people was 18-year-old James Sibley, who is said to have died just minutes into his first mission in Ukraine in July last year.
Sibley was just 17 when he left the UK to join Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
Meanwhile, the oldest is believed to be James Gerrard Richard Shortt, whose cause of death has still not been disclosed.
In October, Healey said the UK was ready to commit over £100million on sending British troops to Ukraine.
He said Putin was the UK’s ‘number one enemy’, adding that the world was entering a ‘new era of threat’.
The British soldier’s death comes amid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirming his refusal to cede land to Russia.