It takes an extraordinary kind of courage to knowingly put yourself in the line of fire for the sake of others. But that’s exactly what 23-year-old ex-British Army sniper Alexander Garms-Rizzi did in his final moments on the battlefields of Ukraine. In a selfless act of heroism, he became the target of a Russian drone, deliberately drawing its fire so that his fellow Ukrainian troops could make it to safety.
The former Royal Welsh Fusilier had been fighting on the eastern front when he and three Ukrainian soldiers found themselves pinned down. The others managed to scramble into a bunker, but one of them had been gravely wounded. With no hesitation, Alexander ran out into ‘no man’s land,’ sprinting in circles baiting the drone, buying precious seconds for his comrades to escape. In the end, two soldiers survived unscathed, one was seriously injured, and Alexander paid the ultimate price.
His commander and fellow soldiers have hailed him as one of the bravest men to stand on the front lines. A Finnish volunteer soldier, who had fought alongside him, paid an emotional tribute: “He died how he would have wanted honourably, while helping others.” His unit is now pushing for him to receive a posthumous bravery medal in recognition of his sacrifice.
A Warrior’s Journey
Alexander’s path to Ukraine was anything but conventional. With a Russian mother and having spent his early years in Russia, he grew up fluent in the language. But his allegiance lay with Ukraine. When war broke out in 2022, he made a life-altering decision, one that would change his fate forever.
Deployed in Estonia as part of a British Army NATO exercise, Alexander went AWOL, telling his superiors he couldn’t just stand by while his Ukrainian friends were being killed. Instead of sneaking away, he openly admitted his intentions. He sent his unit a message saying he had crossed the border to join pro-Ukrainian forces. Two months later, he voluntarily returned to the UK, where he was sentenced to a year in military prison for defying orders and dismissed from the Army.
His decision caused a political storm. At the time, then-Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had publicly encouraged Britons to fight for Ukraine, but the British military saw things differently. His actions, a court ruled, could have risked dragging the UK into a direct conflict with Russia.
Yet, even after serving eight months behind bars, Alexander’s resolve never wavered. The moment he was free, he returned to the front lines, taking up arms once more alongside the Ukrainian resistance.
The Final Stand
Alexander, known as ‘Sasha’ among his comrades, became a well-respected soldier in his Ukrainian unit. His commander described him as ‘fearless’ and ‘dedicated.’ On the day he died, he was part of a group caught in a collapsing dugout under relentless enemy fire. As his fellow soldiers sprinted 500 metres to a safer bunker, he made a split-second decision to act as a decoy. He ran in circles, distracting the Russian drone and drawing its fire away from his retreating comrades.
He was just 100 metres from safety when he was hit.
His body was later located via drone reconnaissance, but conditions on the battlefield have made retrieval impossible. His commander confirmed the tragic news: “He took a different path and was so close to safety when he was struck. He died a hero.”
A Legacy of Courage
For those who fought alongside him, Alexander will be remembered not just as a skilled sniper, but as a man who put others before himself until the very end. His journey from a British soldier to a Ukrainian fighter is one of conviction, sacrifice, and unwavering loyalty to a cause he believed in.
As his fellow troops continue the fight, they do so knowing that Alexander Garms-Rizzi’s bravery will never be forgotten.
