Major Paul Wilks, a 40-year-old British Army officer, has been named as the serviceman killed in a road traffic accident in Ukraine on 12 September, away from the front lines. The Ministry of Defence confirmed his death and paid tribute to him as an "exceptionally bright and professional officer" and a "gifted leader" who commanded the admiration of those he served alongside. His death highlights the ongoing risks faced by UK military personnel operating in Ukraine even outside active combat zones.

Major Wilks was an Intelligence Corps officer who had completed multiple operational tours, including in Afghanistan, over a military career of more than 14 years. He commissioned from Sandhurst in April 2012 and was awarded two Operational Service Medals during his career. He is survived by his wife and two sons. He is the second British soldier to die in Ukraine in recent months, following the death of paratrooper Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, in December last year, whose fatal incident while "testing a new defensive capability" was also described only in vague terms.