A British defector who joined the Russian military in Ukraine to support Putin’s aggressive and unwarranted war alleges that he has been granted Russian citizenship.

Aiden Minnis, 37, originally from Chippenham, fled to enlist with the Russian regime when the conflict erupted in 2022, alongside 48-year-old Ben Stimson from Oldham. They fought alongside Kremlin forces in the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Donbas.

Minnis, a former member of the far-right National Front, openly expresses his disdain for the UK and has previously labeled Britain as a ‘fascist state’ shortly after Putin’s victory in a controversial election in Russia, marked by the absence of viable opponents, many of whom were either deceased or incarcerated.

Now, Minnis, who also holds a conviction for a racially motivated attack, has sworn allegiance to Russia and its autocrat, proudly displaying a video of his Russian passport.

“I possess a Russian passport. I am now Russian,” he declared. “I feel relieved because I know I am safe, shielded from prosecution in the UK, immune from baseless charges just because I chose to fight for Russia, for a righteous cause, and for the people of Donbas.” It is highly likely that he has been granted citizenship in Russia due to his perceived utility as a propaganda tool by Putin’s associates.

However, the document he brandished on camera is an internal identification card, invalid for international travel. Consequently, his newfound nationality will not exempt him from prosecution and imprisonment in Britain, nor prevent his extradition to the UK if he were to return to the West. Previously, he vowed to persist in dispatching deceased Ukrainians and English mercenaries “to wooden boxes.”

In his latest video, he reiterated his disdain for the UK and expressed jubilation at his new passport, which has rendered him “officially Russian.”

‘Of course, I am happy,’ said Minnis, who claims to have found love in Russia. ‘I am starting a new life in Russia. I am now Russian. I am happy to be Russian. I reiterate that I condemn my country or origin.

‘I hate it for what they have done to the people of Donbas, to Russia, and what they continue to do. And I am looking forward to starting a new life.’

Minnis went onto add that he expects Putin’s army to send him to the frontline immediately. 

‘After my vacation I go to a storm battalion. So things are only going to get tougher for me,’ he said. I know it’s dangerous. War is dangerous.’