Paramedic, 45, becomes 8th Brit killed in Ukraine as family say he ‘made ultimate sacrifice’ standing up to Putin
A BRITISH man killed in Ukraine has been described as a "hero" by his family.
Paramedic Jonathan Shenkin, from , is the eighth person from the UK known to have died in the war-torn country since Russia invaded.
In a social media post, the 45-year-old's family said he "made the ultimate sacrifice" by standing up to Vladimir Putin's troops in Ukraine.
They said the dad "died as a hero in an act of bravery as a paramedic" in December.
A tribute shared by his brother Daniel Shenkin said: "On enlisting in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he made the ultimate sacrifice to defend values we all believe in.
"He is survived by his son and daughter, to whom he was devoted."
More on Ukraine
Mr Skenkin's brother told how he had spent "much of his life helping others" after growing up in Glasgow.
He briefly lived in London and Malta before signing up for the Israeli Army.
Mr Shenkin later ran his own security business, which included missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Oman and Somalia.
His brother added: "Throughout his life he took reward in helping others, whether it be through volunteer work, training authorities, close protection or rescue.
Most read in The Sun
"As well as volunteering his skills during natural disasters in the Philippines, he devoted much of his time to good causes."
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: "We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Ukraine, and are in contact with the local authorities."
It comes after the bodies of another two Brits killed while trying to help people evacuate from fierce fighting in Ukraine were recovered last month in a prisoner swap.
Ukraine exchanged 63 jailed Russians captured during Putin's invasion as part of the swap.
Chris Parry, 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, 47, were undertaking voluntary work in Soledar, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, when their vehicle was reportedly hit by a shell.
Meanwhile, Special Forces Support Group and Afghan War veteran Simon Lingard was killed in action when his trench was hit by a Russian shell.
In April, Brit dad Scott Silbey was named as the first UK casualty in Ukraine.
The British Army veteran, 36, was praised by former comrades as "the bravest person" they knew.
In June, British ex-soldier Jordan Gatley was killed in the city of Severodonetsk.
Jordan, who left the British Army in March, has been hailed as "truly a hero" after he was killed.
Volunteer medic Craig Stanley Mackintosh was killed while out on patrol near Ukraine's second-biggest city Kharkiv.
The 48-year-old landscape gardener and dad-of-four served in the Territorial Army for seven years.
Aid worker Paul Urey, who was captured by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine died in detention last July.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Urey, 45, was captured by pro-Russian forces in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine in April.
The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Ukraine, amid the ongoing invasion, saying there is a "real risk to life".
