British soldier, 40, named as UK military officer killed in Ukraine road crash

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Major Paul Wilks, a 40-year-old Intelligence Corps officer with possible ties to UK Special Forces, was killed in a road accident in Ukraine on Saturday 12 September — away from the front lines rather than in combat. The Ministry of Defence named him on Wednesday, confirming the incident had no connection to hostile action and declining to specify its exact location. He is survived by a wife and two sons.

Lieutenant General Matthew Jones called Major Wilks 'one of the most talented intelligence officers of his generation.'

Commissioned from Sandhurst in 2012, Major Wilks served multiple tours including Afghanistan and held two Operational Service Medals.

He is the second British soldier killed in Ukraine — paratrooper Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, died there in December last year.