A man educated at British universities who volunteered to fight for Vladimir Putin has been killed in Ukraine.
Russian Alexander Tomarev, 27, was buried in Volgograd, only one month after enlisting with Russian forces.
Reports in Russia say he was the son of a former Russian official now running a private security company, and had studied in Britain for eight years at school and universities.
He volunteered for enlistment, telling friends: "If I don't go, then who will?"
A family contact said: “After England, he returned to Russia and joined the military service of his own volition.”
He had studied for a foundation course in Business, Management and Marketing at the University of Exeter, it is understood.
Later he studied for a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management and Operations at Kingston University.
He died on his father’s birthday, 24 October, and was later buried in his home city.
More than 100 mourners attended his funeral, said reports.
His funeral heard how “as soon as the call for partial mobilisation was sounded [by Putin in September], Alexander was one of the first to go to the military enlistment office and signed up as a volunteer.”
A eulogy said: “His short but surprisingly bright life passed under this motto.”
He had written: “I have studied in England, Germany and Russia [which] opened my mind to my future perspectives.”
The circumstances of his death in the conflict have not been revealed.
But a number of other Russian servicemen were killed in a Ukrainian attack at the same time as him, it is understood.
After university in Britain, Tomarev was said to have worked in information technology.
A message posted on a Russian report of his funeral said: “Mothers, why do you need such terrible grief….?
“Stop this horror, finally. Every day we have more grief.
“So many are killed, no-one [in Russia] is resisting it.”
The Mirror reported earlier how Ukrainian soldiers are undergoing gruelling rehabilitation after losing limbs fighting invading Russian forces.
Mykhailo Varvaric, a commander with the 80th Assault Brigade, is among the servicemen receiving ongoing treatment at Truskavets City hospital.
The 27-year-old, from Lviv, lost both legs on May 29 in Luhansk from an anti-personnel mine along with three other soldiers who were injured, one was killed.
He has been living at the hospital since late June.
The commander was photographed on Tuesday working out his upper body in a small gym at the facility, as well as learning to use prosthetics.
Doctors at the hospital are now specialising in treating military amputees and has so far seen 173 soldiers come through its doors, including 152 amputees.
The facility in western Ukraine provides free medical care giving soldiers a new home after their mental and physical traumatic experiences.
Another heroic serviceman, Taras Volochyi was snapped last month at the hospital.
The 54-year-old lost his leg from shelling near Lysychansk in late June.
