Around 40 people gathered in Kyiv’s main crematorium on Monday afternoon, June 30, to say goodbye to Ben “Budgie” Burgess, a British volunteer fighter for Ukraine who died in combat. Born in southern England in 1992, Burgess had been fighting for Ukraine since 2022.

“A lot of people come to Ukraine for different reasons, but Budgie definitely came for the belief that Ukraine deserves to be free. And he was willing to fight for that. And he did. He fought well, fought bravely, and ultimately was killed doing that,” his friend and fellow British soldier, call-sign “Azrael” said.

Family, friends, and fellow soldiers stood together, some hugging his coffin as sunflowers and roses were laid gently on top. The Ukrainian national anthem played as a final tribute.

After the ceremony, mourners went to Kyiv’s Maidan Square, where a flag was planted in his honor among a sea of flags honoring the many fallen soldiers. His loved ones left messages on the flag saying things like:

“Thank you for protecting,”

“Love you brother, until we meet again,”

“Ben was a true Cossack,”

“Forever in my mind, heart, and soul.”

Azrael, from the 78th regiment, recalled how Budgie first served in Zaporizhzhia with the artillery, then transitioned to medevacs in Donetsk. But it was drones – specifically First-Person-View (FPV) drones – that became his obsession and expertise.

“He was among the best pilots we had,” his comrade said. “He came to Ukraine because he truly believed in its freedom. And he died fighting for that.”

Budgie left no children but did leave behind a girlfriend in Odesa and a legacy of friendship and commitment. “We were the last two foreign fighters in our regiment,” “Azrael” said. “He was my family here. I’ve lost many friends in this war – he’s my biggest loss.”

Photos: Chris Sampson

Text: Jeremy Dirac