British Fighter for Putin Rewarded with Russian Citizenship
Ben Stimson, a 49-year-old man from Oldham who has been fighting for Vladimir Putin's forces in Ukraine, has been granted Russian citizenship as a reward for his loyalty to Moscow. The British national, who has been branded a "traitor" by former British army commander Colonel Richard Kemp, received his new passport following direct intervention from pro-Kremlin Russian MP Maria Butina.
From Oldham to the Donbas Frontlines
Stimson first traveled to Russia in 2015 but returned to Britain due to passport complications, where he was detained and subsequently jailed on terrorism offenses at Manchester Crown Court in 2017, receiving a sentence of five years and four months. Following his release, he returned to Ukraine to fight in what Russia calls its "Special Military Operation" in the Donbas region.
Maria Butina, a prominent United Russia party MP who was previously jailed in the United States on espionage charges, announced she had personally intervened to secure Stimson's Russian citizenship. "Ben has already proven his love and loyalty to Russia, his empathy for the residents of the new territories," Butina stated, referring to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
Training African Recruits and Defending Comrades
Reports indicate Stimson is currently training African recruits in the Donbas region while continuing to fight alongside Russian forces. The British fighter has also spoken out about fellow British national Aiden Minnis, another fighter for Russia who was feared missing or dead in recent weeks.
"Aiden is alive and well and always was," Stimson posted, contradicting earlier reports about Minnis's disappearance. Minnis, a 39-year-old from Chippenham, Wiltshire, who is a former convict and ex-British National Party member, had previously been granted Russian citizenship himself.
Family Disownment and Political Backing
Stimson's activities have caused significant controversy in Britain, with his father Martin reportedly disowning him in 2024 for fighting on behalf of Putin's forces. Colonel Richard Kemp, the former British army commander, has been particularly vocal in his condemnation, stating that Stimson and Minnis are "an absolute disgrace and are traitors who upon their return to the UK should be arrested and jailed."
Butina confirmed that the leadership of United Russia, Putin's main political party, had backed the decision to grant Stimson citizenship. The MP, who was arrested in the United States in July 2018 and sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to act as a foreign agent before being deported to Russia in October 2019, said she requested the passport from Putin's interior ministry when Stimson faced the "threat of deportation."
Encouraging Others to Join the Fight
Stimson has reportedly encouraged other English speakers to join the fight for Putin's forces in Ukraine, further cementing his controversial status. The granting of Russian citizenship represents a significant reward for his continued service and loyalty to Moscow amid the ongoing conflict.
The case highlights the complex international dimensions of the Ukraine war, with foreign fighters on both sides facing legal consequences in their home countries while receiving recognition and rewards from the nations they choose to fight for.
