BRITISH teen volunteer James Wilton “did not stand a chance” when he was killed by a Russian drone while fighting in Ukraine, his best pal said.
The 18-year-old rookie recruit died after being chased by three of the killing machines — having never had any military training.
He had flown from Manchester Airport just four months earlier aged just 17 to join the resistance against the Russian invasion but was killed in an explosion minutes into his first mission.
James’s dad Graham told The Sun yesterday: “I’ll never get over this. I didn’t want him to go but his heart was set on it. He wanted to help Ukraine.
“I’ve been told bits of the story of how he died, but have struggled to deal with it and wish we could have swapped places because he had his whole life in front of him.
“Then he could have been back home with a pint, watching the darts on telly instead of me.”
Best pal Jason — a US volunteer fighter who was with James when he died and later lost his left foot in battle — told The Sun: “It was James’s first and last mission.
“We had to cross an open field with no trees, no cover, nothing, to resupply other soldiers.
“I was team leader and there were six of us traversing in groups of two, 20 metres apart. Myself and James were the last two.
“I was the last man in the group. I was telling him to stay 20 metres ahead of me. I could see he was scared and I was scared too, but I told him he was going to be OK.
“We had heavy, 60 kilo packs. When we reached halfway across the field he suddenly stopped.
“I shouted after him ‘Why are you stopping, what are you doing?’ and he didn’t respond.
“Then I heard it — a buzz in the air above us — and thought: ‘Oh f***.’ It took me two or three seconds to spot it, then I saw it and realised we were in the worst possible situation we could be in — in an open field with nowhere to run. “
I screamed at him: ‘We need to move, we need to move!’ Then the drone moved and began hovering 20 metres above me.
“I could tell it was a ‘drop drone’ armed with a bomb and its pilot was trying to decide who to kill — me or James.
“He wanted us closer together so he could kill both of us with one bomb. Then another drone appeared. I told him I was going to start shooting then he turned and said: ‘I’m going to run.’
“We both started sprinting with two drones on top of us — then a third one appeared.
“Once the drone was on him, James never stood a chance.
“He was only about 30 metres from the trench line when I saw the drone explode.
“As I bent down to grab him, one of the other drones appeared ten metres above my head and I closed my eyes and thought: ‘Oh s***! Now I’m going to die.’”
“I felt a calm moment when I resigned myself to it and held on to my friend waiting for it to happen.
I think he had thought to himself ‘I’m not doing much with my life, I want to do something bigger for the greater good.’ I still miss him and I’ll never forget him
Jason
“But after five seconds it just zipped away and left me there — I still have no idea why.”
Medic Jason was living and working in London as a medical translator before volunteering for Ukraine’s 2nd International Legion.
He braved the drone menace again 20 minutes later to retrieve James’s body.
THE war in Ukraine is once again reaching a dangerous tipping point with claims that a Russian victory could come in less than six months.
Grief at the death of 18-year-old Brit fighter James Wilton is shared by the families of at least 43,000 Ukrainian fallen soldiers.
The West cannot afford to let Vladimir Putin win – and send a message to the world’s dictators that they can easily do the same.
He said: “I’ve seen people die out here. I’ve killed two Russian soldiers myself, but nothing prepares you for losing someone who’s close to you.
“I knew James was going to be a lifelong friend and that one day we’d laugh about old war stories over a pint in a pub back home.
“But now he’s gone and will only ever be a memory.”
James, from Huddersfield, West Yorks, was cremated in Ukraine following his death on the eastern front on July 23 last year.
His death has gone unreported until now. He is feared to be among more British volunteers whose sacrifice has gone “under the radar” during the Ukraine War.
James’s dad, a trade counter assistant at a flooring company, travelled from England to the funeral and met Jason, along with his son’s foreign fighter comrades from all over the world.
Jason is currently recovering at Lviv’s Superhumans Centre in Ukraine — a charity-funded specialist centre rehabilitating amputees and war wounded.
After witnessing James’s death, he fought on and managed to evacuate three more wounded men, who all survived.
But he stepped on a landmine and lost his left foot below the knee four days later.
Jason said: “I extracted my friend James from the battle and he died. It’s hard not getting emotional about it, but seeing that made me want to try harder to help others.
“He was the youngest in our group and we all felt protective towards him and I suppose I came to see him like a little brother.
“I think he had thought to himself ‘I’m not doing much with my life, I want to do something bigger for the greater good.’ I still miss him and I’ll never forget him.”
He was the youngest in our group and we all felt protective towards him and I suppose I came to see him like a little brother
Jason
James had decided to take time out after finishing a two-year course in animal welfare and land care. He had two sisters, Sophie, 22, Sarah, 21.
Dad Graham split in 2009 from James’s mum Kerrie-Anne, 44, who tried in vain to talk her son out of travelling to the war zone.
Graham said: “He met his mum for an hour to say goodbye, then I drove him to Manchester Airport for the flight to Poland and he travelled overland to Ukraine.
“He was such a laid back, polite, easy-going and likeable young man — I’ll always be proud of him. I brought his ashes back home, but might go back to scatter them there. I think that might be what he would have wanted.
“It’s taken a while to process James’s death. But I think it’s time that some kind of public tribute was paid and it’s good to be finally talking about what happened.”
It comes as Vladimir Putin’s forces continue to make gains along the 600-mile eastern front, despite huge Russian casualty figures.
And experts warn Moscow could win within six months as Putin sacrifices even greater numbers of troops to gain his objectives.
By Nick Parker, Foreign Editor
DURING his election campaign, US President Donald Trump repeatedly promised to end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours”.
On the day of his inauguration, he quipped: “I still have half a day left” when asked whether he would deliver on his impossible promise.
Two weeks later that joke is wearing thin in Ukraine as Vladmir Putin’s ruthless “meat grinder” war machine continues to gobble up stolen territory.
Brave young Ukrainians and foreign fighter comrades — like British teenager James Wilton — are falling every day in battle as Putin sacrifices many more of his own men to grab ground.
But Mr Trump yesterday appeared more focused on the US’s threatened trade wars and tariffs than forcing Mad Vlad to the table.
But for Ukrainians it is clear the war cannot end soon enough.
I hope for their sake — and ours — that Mr Trump makes good on his peace pledge as soon as possible.
MARCUS RASHFORD has completed his loan to Aston Villa until the end of the season.
The Manchester United forward, 27, agreed the temporary switch after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim.
And Villa will have the option to BUY the Red Devils academy graduate come the end of the season.
It’s understood they will have to shell out a cool £40million should they wish to permanently acquire his services.
The Midlanders announced the signing by saying: “Aston Villa is delighted to announce the loan signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.”
The deal to bring in Rashford is a major financial outlay.
The Villans are understood to be paying the majority of Rashford’s whopping £325,000-a-week wages – which he’s unlikely to get should he permanently move to Villa park in the summer.
Despite three goals in Amorim’s manager’s first two Premier League games, Rashford has not featured for his boyhood club since December 12.
A public bashing from Amorim has included the Portuguese chief saying he would rather put his 63- year-old goalkeeper coach Jorge Vita on the pitch instead of “a player who doesn’t give the maximum every day”.
Now, though, Rashford has sealed his short-term escape out of Old Trafford.
The loan switch comes after Aston Villa sold Jhon Duran to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr for £64million.
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Rashford is keen to get his career back on track after a difficult few years under both Erik ten Hag and now Amorim.
And the chance to play in the Champions League again will undoubtedly appeal.
Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco and AC Milan were all linked with the United academy graduate – although his mammoth £325,000-a-week wages proved an issue.
But now Rashford is staying put in the Premier League at Villa after the two clubs thrashed out a deal.
After the blistering start, Rashford and the manager’s relationship soured when Amorim was told the striker had been out on a Friday night – less than 48 hours before the Everton game.
He called the forward in for a meeting where Rashford denied the allegations – and they have not patched up their differences.
Rashford then angered Amorim further by publicly revealing he is “ready for a new challenge” away from Old Trafford.
The player reckons he has received unfair treatment – and there are thoughts there may have been orders from the top.
A source told The Sun: “Marcus thinks Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants him out of the club and has basically told head coach Ruben Amorim to get him out.
“He might just have met his match with Sir Jim.
“Marcus feels like he is being picked on.
“In the early days of training under Amorim, he was trying to learn new systems and other players were also struggling — but he was the one who was getting more vocal criticism.
“He knows he needs to leave but he’s shocked that no big team has pulled out all the stops to get him.
“There’s been interest but financially it’s a complicated deal and that’s put quite a few teams off.
“Marcus has been left bewildered by how quickly his relationship with Amorim has disintegrated.”
Ex-United stars Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes all weighed in on the Rashford debate before his loan was confirmed.
Ferdinand suggested the player could look to sue Amorim for his comments while Rooney and Scholes both laid into the forward.
Rooney said: “I went into Carrington on Sunday to take my kids to game day and Marcus Rashford was out on the training pitch with the fitness coach.
“But he was right over towards where the parents were walking past for the kids’ games.
“I looked at him thinking how embarrassing it must be for him as parents walked past. He’s there and all the parents are walking past him.
Marcus has let a lot of people down with his attitude… the sooner he’s gone, the better
Paul Scholes
“I was surprised when this started over two years ago, but now I’m not.
“I’ve spoken to Marcus a couple of times and I’ve given him my thoughts and feelings that he needs to leave the football club.
“Because whatever is going on in his life and at Manchester United, he’s not the same.
“For him to have a fresh start, he needs to leave the club.”
Scholes added: “I think Marcus has let a lot of people down with his attitude and I think that’s what the manager is trying to say.
“You think of the young players coming through the team and think of [Alejandro] Garnacho.
“They’re looking up to people like Marcus now and he’s 27, he’s clearly not training properly, he’s not living his life properly. They’re the examples these people should look at.
“In a way, he’s saying he doesn’t want to be involved with the team and the fact of letting his teammates down, he should be banished from the dressing room.
“If he’s in and around that and young people are seeing that as an example, the sooner he’s gone the better.”
LOVE Island fans have demanded Elma is removed from the villa after her explosive clash with Scott Thomas.
Fans tuned in on Sunday night as the results of the latest recoupling were revealed.
Curtis and picked Ekin-Sue over Danielle, while Scott decided to stay coupled with Tina.
However, later that night he pulled Tina for a chat and told her there was something missing from their connection.
In heartbreaking scenes, the hunk called off their romance leaving Tina upset.
While she was comforted in the makeup room, Elma was left seething for her pal and ranted about Scott.
The TOWIE star was initially unaware that Scott could hear her and the pair came to blows.
Elma said: “You’ve had two blinding birds and there’s something missing for both of them, what do you want?
“Is no-one gonna tell him [Scott] cause I will…”
Scott snapped back“Elma, come and tell me…”
Following the scenes, Love Island fans have demanded ITV bosses axe Elma from the show.
One said: “Nah, producers should throw her out for this. The whole point of the show is finding the RIGHT person, not just picking the first one that fancies you. Just because she’s desperate doesn’t mean he should be. Who is she to dictate who he should like & if he should go?!”
A second wrote: “Elma’s letting favourite girl get to her head.”
“Elma sit down or we’ll get you out next. When someone’s honest about their feelings they get angry,” said a third.
Love Island All Stars is back on TV for season 2.
Here we take you through the line-up of all the Islanders who are in the villa so far.
Bombshells
Each series brings with it a string of hot single bombshells making their epic entrance into the villa.
Here’s who has joined the villa so far:
KERRY boss Jack O’Connor hailed his troops for winning a ‘hurling-style’ clash against Derry.
The Kingdom needed late goals from Dónal O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney to triumph after trailing by five points heading into the closing stages.
If supporters got used to scrolling through their phones during Gaelic football’s previous life, nobody was able to take their eyes off this box-office battle at Celtic Park.
And O’Connor said: “It was a mad game. We were five down with five minutes to go, so you wouldn’t have given us much of a chance.
“It is a different game with the two-pointers. It is almost turning into hurling-style scoring.”
Shane McGuigan’s 62nd-minute goal gave Derry the lead after O’Sullivan’s second point levelled matters moments before.
McGuigan and Lachlann Murray put the home side five points up before the fireworks began.
A long ball from Seán O’Shea was missed by the Derry defence and Paul Geaney pounced to raise a green flag.
McGuigan then nailed his fourth point for a three-point lead in the 68th minute.
But a defensive error allowed Kerry in for O’Sullivan’s goal to level matters again.
And the drama continued when Néill McNicholl’s rushed kick-out went straight to Geaney who raced in to bag Kerry’s fifth goal to win the game.
Derry had seconds to save their skins but the sound of the hooter beat any hopes of a comeback.
Kerry got the rub of the green 15 minutes from time when Dylan Geaney breached the halfway line.
It was missed by referee Martin McNally, with a Derry defender punished for stepping over in the play.
With the ball carried forward to the edge of the arc, O’Shea kicked a two-pointer as Kerry benefited from good fortune.
But in the end, goals won the game.
If the second half was epic, the opening period would have been seen as just as good under the old rules. Brendan Rogers’ two-pointer sent Derry three ahead before Conor Geaney bagged a fifth-minute goal.
With midfielders Anton Tohill and Conor Glass in fine form, the Oak Leafers stayed in touch until Conor Geaney’s second goal opened a 2-5 to 0-8 lead for Kerry in the 28th minute.
But Ben McCarron bombed over a two-pointer for Derry, who edged 0-13 to 2-5 ahead at the interval with scores also arriving from Diarmuid Baker and Donncha Gilmore.
Gilmore put Derry three up midway through the third quarter before a two-pointer from Dylan Geaney was another Kingdom gain.
While Diarmuid O’Connor pulled Kerry back into it, Derry’s attack kept the scoreboard ticking over.
Penned in and without the short restart option, a Rogers catch and Tohill run led to an Ethan Doherty point.
Conor Doherty fielded the kick-out that led to Shane McGuigan’s goal — a fine finish lost in the blockbuster ending.
But Kerry were reading a different script and they forced several Derry mistakes to allow O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney to complete the smash and grab.
Derry lost to Tyrone in the first round and Oak Leaf gaffer Paddy Tally said: “I thought we played really well but we conceded some terrible goals and that was the difference.
“We were three points up and to lose it within a minute is very disappointing.
“I think we’re much, much better today. But you can’t give away five goals in a game and expect to win.
“It’s just impossible so I think that’s the biggest learning for us.”
KERRY: S Ryan; D Bourke, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; G O’Sullivan, T Morley, S O’Brien 0-1; D O’Connor 0-1, BD O’Sullivan 0-2; P Clifford, S O’Shea 0-5, 1tpf, 2f, R Murphy; C Geaney 2-2, K Spillane, D Geaney 0-2, 1tp. Subs: D O’Sullivan 1-2 for R Murphy 47 mins; K Evans for Spillane 49; P Geaney 2-0 for C Geaney 53; C Ó Beaglaoich for O’Sullivan 57; E Healy for O’Brien 63.
DERRY: N McNicholl; D Baker 0-1, E McEvoy, M Doherty; C Doherty, B Rogers 0-2, 1tp, D Gilmore 0-3, 1tp; C Glass 0-2, 1 45, A Tohill; E Doherty 0-3, P Cassidy 0-2, C Murphy, N Toner 0-4, 2f, S McGuigan 1-4, 1f, B McCarron 0-2, 1 tp. Subs: L Murray 0-1 for Murphy 48 mins; P McGurk for McCarron 52; D Higgins for Tohill 58; D Cassidy for Gilmore 59; J McDermott b-s for Baker 64.
REFEREE: M McNally (Monaghan).
SO it’s that time again — a kind of Supermarket Sweep with clubs keen to complete transfers before the deadline.
And there is a lot of talent around the EFL up for potential moves on deadline day.
All eyes will be on Elland Road to see if the talented midfielder finally makes a move.
The Italian, 21 — who has five goals and five assists so far this term — has gone off the boil recently, falling behind Dan James and Manor Solomon in the pecking order.
Gnonto has not started a game since December 29, though he did score when he came on as a sub in Saturday’s 7-0 mauling of Cardiff.
A number of Saudi Pro League sides are in the marketplace to prise him away, but Leeds will be wanting at least £50million.
Spanish winger, 23, is one of the Championship’s standout players.
The attacker leads the top- scoring charts with 15 — no mean feat in a Canaries team that is hardly setting the world alight.
His pace is electric and often takes him behind the full-backs. He has scored some great goals this term — three or four of them goal-of-the-season candidates.
Added to this, he has fine touch and balance, and scouts have been flocking to Championship grounds to check him out.
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Galatasaray, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are among his suitors.
But Norwich are reluctant to sell this month and Sainz’s six-match ban for spitting, plus his current eight-game goal drought, have put off a few clubs.
Since Regis Le Bris took over as manager, this versatile player has developed into a quality all-round midfielder.
Last season he played as a striker, a false nine, a No 10 and even dropped back as a defensive midfielder.
It is hard to imagine he is only 19 years old yet on Monday he could make his 100th senior appearance.
The physical youngster effortlessly glides past opponents and — like his older brother Jude — has great composure belying his years.
He times his bursts into the danger zone well and can score.
Birmingham allowed him to leave for just £1.5m.
Although it is unlikely he will leave the Black Cats, Manchester United, Arsenal and Crystal Palace are among those checking him out.
He would cost about £25m.
It would be gobsmacking if this attacking midfielder is still in the Championship next season, whether or not Boro go up.
The technically gifted Irish star, 24, displays impressive artistry in the centre of the park.
He is the assists king in the second tier with nine so far this campaign — plus he has eight goals to his name, too.
MLS side Atlanta are hoping to wrap up a £23m deal for the striker today.
Boro boss Michael Carrick has already brought in Morgan Whittaker from Plymouth as his replacement and it looks unlikely the Ivorian will still be at the Riverside tomorrow morning.
Latte Lath, 26, is everything you want from a frontman. He can score all types of goals and is two-footed.
Also, his pace can stretch any backline, he is well equipped to compete with centre-halves and is decent in the air.
The Georgian attacking midfielder is a huge favourite at Vicarage Road. He can play with both feet and is an outstanding dribbler.
Operating as a left-sided No 10, he is one of the best creative footballers in the Championship.
The Hornets tied down the 25-year-old to a new five-year, £25,000-a-week deal only last September.
But that has not stopped Everton, Leicester and Wolves from expressing their interest, and a bid of about £20m might be enough to prise him away.
Watford hope their promotion bid will be enough to keep him until at least the summer.
Although the Hatters have had a shocking return to life in the Championship, the left-back, 25, was their standout player before he injured a ligament in November — head and shoulders out-performing his team-mates.
He did well for Luton in the Premier League, has a great left foot and loves getting forward.
Doughty has recently returned to the side and scored in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.
But potential suitors will likely wait until the summer before coming in for him.
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