A British woman has been dismissed from her position at the Home Office after seeking public assistance to locate her son, a British man reported missing while serving in the Russian military in Ukraine.

Valerie Stobbart, 57, from Newcastle, has been searching for her 27-year-old son, Nathan Stobbart, since December 2025, when he was declared missing in action. Nathan had relocated to Russia in late 2024 after meeting his future wife, Ksenia, online through a shared interest in video gaming. The couple married in early 2025, and their first child, Michael, was born in October of that year.

Nathan, an electrician by profession, initially moved to Russia to be with Ksenia and planned to settle and work there. However, in April 2025, at a time when his visa renewal was refused by Russian authorities, he was reportedly compelled to sign a one-year contract with the Russian army as an alternative to deportation. Following his enlistment, Nathan was deployed to Ukraine amid ongoing conflict there, and his last known communication was on December 10, 2025. His unit declared him missing two days later.

Valerie described her son as intelligent and loyal, emphasizing that he had no personal political stance on the conflict. She added that the family had not discussed the war extensively, as she was told the fighting was distant from where Nathan and Ksenia lived.

In her attempts to locate Nathan, Valerie contacted various organizations, including Russian and Ukrainian embassies, the British Foreign Office, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Despite these efforts, she received little information about his whereabouts. A chatbot-run service specialized in tracking missing Russian soldiers confirmed as of June 11, 2026, that Nathan had not been found among prisoners of war or deceased soldiers.

In May 2026, in a bid to raise awareness, Valerie reached out to a journalist covering the conflict, seeking assistance in finding her son. This decision led to significant professional consequences when she revealed her situation to her managers at the Home Office, where she worked in the immigration department. Following this disclosure, she was suspended and subsequently dismissed in August 2026 for allegedly breaching the department’s media communication policies by engaging with the press without approval.

The Home Office cited violations of multiple internal policies, including those relating to media contact, personal conduct, and conflicts of interest. Valerie contended that her communication was solely motivated by concern for her son and that she had not been disparaging toward her employer or the government. She expressed frustration over the lack of empathy in her treatment, suggesting that the mention of her son's involvement with Russia may have contributed to suspicions about her motives.

Despite losing her job, Valerie remains resolute in her search for Nathan. She continues to maintain contact with Ksenia, who has remained in Russia with their son, and hopes for information that might clarify Nathan’s status. Valerie expressed a desire for her daughter-in-law and grandson to eventually visit the United Kingdom, contingent on Nathan’s safe return.

A spokesman for the Home Office declined to comment on individual employment cases. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has led to numerous challenges in tracking missing personnel, particularly those serving in foreign armies under contentious circumstances, highlighting the complex human implications of the war.