Urgent hunt for two Brits who disappeared while bringing aid to desperate civilians on frontline in war-torn Ukraine
9 January 2023, 15:50 | Updated: 10 January 2023, 06:03
Two British volunteers have gone missing on the frontline of the Ukraine war while helping evacuate citizens, local police have said.
Christopher Parry, 28 and 48-year-old Andrew Bagshaw disappeared on January 6 near Soledar, while helping to move civilians to safety.
The National Police’s website reports: "On January 7, around 5:15 pm, the duty unit of the Bakhmut district police department received a report of the disappearance of two volunteers - citizens of Great Britain, aged 28 and 48.
"The day before, January 6, at eight o "clock in the morning, Andrew Bagshaw and Christopher Perry left Kramatorsk for Soledar, but contact with them was lost."
Police say they are searching for the two men.
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A statement on behalf of Andrew's parents was put out this morning in which he was described as "a very intelligent, independently-minded person, who went there as a volunteer to assist the people of Ukraine, believing it to be the morally right thing to do.
"He was born in the UK, and Philip and Susan are very grateful for all the agencies from both London and NZ, who are working so hard to find him. They are particularly grateful to Kiwi K.A.R.E, an NGO working with volunteers in Ukraine.
"Andrew's parents love him dearly and are immensely proud of all the work he has been doing delivering food and medicines and assisting elderly people move from near the battlefront of the war."
Chris Parry, from Cheltenham arrived in Ukraine in early March, and been working to move vulnerable people and families to safety.
Speaking to Sky News in December, he said a 4x4 vehicle he managed to buy to reach more remote areas had been hit by a Russian tank round and was written off.
Asked what he planned to do after the loss of his off-road vehicle, he said: "I have a Mercedes Sprinter van, which is capable of going to the majority of places, but not the most vulnerable.
"I think people trying to evacuate now are either being shot dead or being forced to become Russian for the rest of their lives.
"That is why I was willing to risk it, because I know that these people will be executed out on the street or shipped off. Of course I'll continue to work as much as I can, in areas that aren't as dangerous. But I am here to go to the most vulnerable to try and help.
"I am willing to go to the places that a lot of people aren't.
"I've calculated that the cost of the vehicle was £7,000, I evacuated 30 people so it works out around £500 per person. People say you can't put a price on life, but some of these people would 100% be dead."
A Foreign Office spokesperson said it was "supporting the families of two British men who have gone missing in Ukraine".
