Two British volunteers have been killed in Ukraine, according to their families.
The two deceased British volunteeres are identified as Andrew Bagshaw, 48, and Christopher Parry, 28. They went missing in Eastern Ukraine earlier this month.
Bagshaw and Parry were heading to the town of Soledar in Eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province when they went missing. There has been intense fighting aroud Soledar, which was captured by Russian forces earlier this month after grinding battles, according to Russians. The private military contractor Wagner Group is leading Russian war efforts in the region.
Parry's family confirmed in a statement released through Britain's Foreign Office that both men were killed.
It said, "It is with great sadness we have to announce that our beloved Chrissy has been killed along with his colleague Andrew Bagshaw whilst attempting a humanitarian evacuation from Soledar, eastern Ukraine."
The statement added that Parry "found himself drawn to Ukraine in March in its darkest hour at the start of the Russian invasion and helped those most in need, saving over 400 lives plus many abandoned animals".
Ukrainian police said on Jan. 9 that they lost contact with Bagshaw and Perry after they headed for Soledar.
Bagshaw, a resident of New Zealand, was in Ukraine to assist in delivering humanitarian aid, according to New Zealand media reports.
A large number of forein nationals have joined the Ukrainian war efforts as either non-combatants (humanitarian aid workers) or combatants. Many of them have died as well. Just last week, a former US Navy SEAL commando was killed fighting on the Ukrainian side. He was the sixth known US national to have been killed in the Ukraine War.
Within weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, several thousands of foreign volunteers had rushed to Ukraine to join the country's war efforts.
Though the West has sent arms, ammunition, missiles, and has provided intelligence support to Ukraine, no country has sent its military personnel to fight Russia as that would mean bringing the West to war with Russia, igniting a risk of a wider conflict. However, the countries have not stopped their nationals from joining Ukrainian war efforts, though they don't encourage citizens to join.
(With AP inputs)
