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Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper reported in May that Grant — son of Helen Grant, a Conservative lawmaker representing an area southeast of London — was part of a group of foreign fighters that fired a rocket at a Russian vehicle. That article was accompanied with a blurry image of what it identified as a rocket launcher. The Telegraph also published footage from a helmet-mounted camera that appeared to show Grant, in a separate instance, helping save another fighter after coming under attack in the Kharkiv region.
RIA said that footage of the incident leading up to Bisultanov’s death has been handed over to investigators. Moscow, which has been accused of committing genocide and other war crimes in Ukraine, said this week that it had killed hundreds of foreigners fighting on Kyiv’s behalf.
Grant’s mother said in April that 91 Ukrainian refugees have been relocated to the area she represents and that she has pressed the Home Office to take in more displaced Ukrainians.
Ben Grant could not be reached for comment. Helen Grant and the British Foreign Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Grant has been a relatively prominent face in British media coverage of foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine. The 30-year-old father of three told the Guardian newspaper in March that he decided to take up arms after seeing videos of a Russian bombing that left Ukrainian children crying. He said he had not consulted his mother about his decision.
London’s already tense relations with Moscow grew even frostier in the lead-up to war, and the Kremlin and members of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government have traded insults in personal terms. When Russia placed its nuclear arsenal on high alert in February, the Kremlin blamed British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Britain has been a leader in orchestrating weapons shipments and diplomatic support for Ukraine, though London has said it will not directly intervene in the war. However, Truss had previously stated her support for British citizens who wish to fight for Ukraine in a private capacity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on foreigners to take up arms against Russia, though some have recounted going into battle underequipped and outgunned.
The Biden administration discourages Americans from joining the fight in Ukraine, though some 4,000 had expressed interest as of March.
Russian authorities say about 3,500 foreign volunteers are still in Donbas, where the bloodiest combat is going on, according to RIA. Moscow has said it will not recognize them as lawful combatants protected by the Geneva Conventions.
Irynka Hromotska contributed to this report.
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