Winchester Man Fighting in Ukraine Faces Bounty on His Head
Simon Hedley, a 40-year-old from Winchester, is fighting in Ukraine and has a $10,000 bounty on his head, raising concerns for his family.
Winchester, Ukraine, Simon Hedley, War, Bounty
Winchester: Simon Hedley, 40, is currently serving with the Ukrainian armed forces. He attended Kings’ School and later worked in private security.
His parents, who prefer to stay anonymous, say the harsh realities of war have deeply affected him since he left 13 months ago.
“He’s full of shrapnel,” his mother shared. “He’s been wounded nine times and even got his leg burned from the Russians using white phosphorus.”
There are emotional scars too. “His friend was captured and murdered,” she added. “He’s Australian. The goal is to avoid capture because torture and execution are likely.”
Simon’s mother was referring to Oscar Jenkins, who was reportedly captured and killed by Russian forces.
Recently, a pro-Putin Telegram channel shared Simon’s details from his social media, putting his battalion in danger as the GRU targets them.
His mother expressed her anger, saying, “It’s thoroughly nasty and it’s done to intimidate – and no, it bloody isn’t going to intimidate.”
“Am I worried? Yes,” Simon’s father admitted. “He’s got a $10,000 bounty on his head.”
The couple, still living in Winchester, recounted some close calls their son has faced, including one incident where the Russians overwhelmed his squadron.
“They were in a hotspot – the Russians overran it,” his mother explained. “The advice from headquarters was: ‘Hide. We’ll get you when we can get back in.’”
Simon had to hide in the rubble of a destroyed building until morning when he and his fellow soldiers could re-establish communication and get rescued.
His father, aware of the danger, said, “I didn’t sleep. I was absolutely beside myself. It was just horrible. It was absolutely heart-wrenching.”
Before heading to Ukraine, Simon worked as an area manager providing security for migrants in hotels.
His father noted, “He’s extremely anti-racist and always has been. He’s a humanitarian, shall we say.”
Explaining Simon’s choice to fight, his mother said, “His life went to poo over here in the UK. He separated from his wife; everything went wrong, so he thought, ‘OK, I’m going to go.’”
Despite the brutal conditions, Simon’s parents say he has grown fond of Ukraine.
“He’s planning on living in Ukraine, if he can, depending on how the war turns out,” his dad said.