That’s the unwritten rule for Britain’s media
Des FREEDMAN
The death of Bradley Townsend, a British citizen who died in Ukraine in June fighting alongside Russian forces, has been broadly covered by the press.
“British traitor who joined Vladimir Putin’s army ‘killed by Ukraine drone’” headline the Daily Star, while former security minister Tom Tugendhat told LBC that Townsend was “extremely misguided” for joining “an army that is committing the most barbarous war crimes that the world has seen in decades.”
Contrast this with the far more favorable media portrayal of British nationals serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) amid a genocide resulting in over 70,000 Palestinian deaths.
For example, when Declassified exclusively unveiled that more than 2,000 Britons had enlisted in the IDF since October 7, the mainstream media barely acknowledged this beyond a brief mention in the London Standard.
No reports label British volunteers in the IDF as ‘traitors,’ nor have ministers condemned them for participating in actions the United Nations has described as “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity.”
Instead, British recruits in the IDF are habitually humanized, with their motives recounted without critique.
A Times feature from October 2023, titled “Meet the Britons defending ‘the only place Jews feel safe’”, portrayed IDF soldier Sam Sank as a Tottenham supporter and dog lover, while another dual national, Joe, was called a “Chelsea fan…camping out with an emergency supply of PG Tips tea.”
On 17 November 2023, BBC News interviewed British-Israeli soldier Alex Moeller about his role in an ‘IDF anti-terror unit’.
Moeller spoke without challenge about Israeli forces’ commitment to “minimise civilian casualties and obviously minimise humanitarian impact.”
He opposed ceasefire calls, dismissing them as a mere ‘tactical’ move by Hamas.
In stark contrast, British nationals fighting for Russia receive overwhelmingly negative coverage, often described as “thugs,” “yobs,” or seriously misled individuals.
For instance, the Sun reported in November 2024 about Jay Fraser, the “Scots mercenary fighting for Vladimir Putin,” while the Observer depicted him as a “university dropout” enchanted by ‘manly’ Russia.
In March 2024, the Mirror covered the “British traitors” Ben Stimson and Aidan Minnis fighting for Russia, labeling Minnis a “former National Front member and convicted thug.”
The piece quoted former British army commander Colonel Richard Kemp stating, “These two are an absolute disgrace and are traitors who upon their return to the UK should be arrested and jailed.”
A Home Office statement followed: “Any person who travels from the UK to conflict zones to engage in unlawful activity, should expect to be investigated upon their return.”
No comparable reports warn dual nationals fighting with the IDF, save for a single mention on BBC radio on 22 July 2025.
Defence journalist Tim Ripley suggested the government might enact legislation to prevent British citizens from “commuting to the war in Gaza.”
This proposal was ignored by other outlets.
Heroes in Ukraine
British subjects fighting alongside Ukrainian forces have generally received much more favorable media coverage than those supporting Russia.
The Sunday Times, for example, sympathetically reported on ‘Baby,’ a young Scottish volunteer for Ukrainian forces who was barred from joining Police Scotland upon returning from combat.
Widespread media coverage in February 2025 – including on BBC and Sky – focused on former Tory MP Jack Lopresti, who joined Ukrainian forces after losing his Parliamentary seat in the 2024 election.
Notably, the Telegraph and Mail offered particularly supportive profiles. Similarly, the Guardian highlighted Foreign Office guidance stating that “it is illegal for British citizens to fight in Ukraine.”
Despite a revelation in February 2026 that Lopresti had joined the neo-Nazi Azov Brigade published by UnHerd, the Telegraph published an article the following March headlined: “Jack Lopresti is a rare example of a politician who puts his money where his mouth is.”
That article was authored by Colonel Richard Kemp, the same figure who previously called for imprisonment of Britons fighting alongside Russia.
The clearest demonstration of media double standards appeared in the response to Declassified’s campaign launched in May 2026, urging government tracking of Britons who served in the IDF and might have participated in war crimes in Gaza.
The petition, titled “Nobody wants to live next to a war criminal,” has gained over 26,000 signatures, including Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.
Rather than seeing this as a public interest issue, certain media outlets instantly attacked Polanski and dismissed the campaign as anti-semitic.
The Telegraph labelled it a ‘Jew register’, while the Express called it ‘a ploy…straight out of Nazi Germany.’
In effect, the negative spotlight on Polanski’s backing for the campaign overshadowed investigative efforts into whether Britons fighting for the IDF in Gaza may be breaking the law.
This provides further proof of a mainstream media prioritizing ideological alignment with UK foreign policy rather than scrutinizing those in power.
Original article: declassifieduk.org
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