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Two British men missing in Ukraine, say

officials
2 hours ago

Russia-Ukraine war

CHRIS PARRY/FAMILY OF ANDREW BAGSHAW

Andrew Bagshaw (L) and Christopher Parry (R) have been reported as missing in Ukraine

By Rachel Russell
BBC News
Two British nationals have gone missing in the eastern Donetsk region of
Ukraine, Ukrainian police have said.

Andrew Bagshaw, 48, and Christopher Parry, 28, were doing voluntary work,
police said, and were last seen on Friday heading to the town of Soledar -
where fighting has been intense.

The Foreign Office said it was "supporting the families".

Mr Bagshaw's parents said they "love him dearly" and were "immensely proud
of all the work he has been doing".

There has been no contact with the two men since Friday.

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Mr Parry, from Truro in Cornwall, travelled to Ukraine to do humanitarian work

and had most recently been helping people evacuate Bakhmut, in the eastern
Donbas region.

Speaking to BBC Cornwall from Ukraine over Christmas last year, he

described having a "drive to help, as the people here are so lovely".

He spoke about the "continuous" bombardment as he spent time near the

front line, as well as encountering a drone "within about 10 metres of my face".

Mr Parry, who lives in Cheltenham, has written in his online crowdfunding page
about raising money for vehicle repairs, fuel and equipment to help evacuate
civilians, and gave examples of helping children and families to flee the front
line.

In a statement issued to the media in New Zealand - where Mr Bagshaw lives -

his parents described the work he has been doing "delivering food and
medicines and assisting elderly people move from near the battlefront of the
war".

The police department in the city of Bakhmut said they received a missing
person's report at 17:15 local time on Saturday, and appealed for any
information that could help locate the two men.

The men had been in Kramatorsk, where there have been reports of strikes in
recent days.

Earlier on Monday, Ukraine's military said it was strengthening its forces in

Soledar - a small town near Bakhmut - in an attempt to fight constant attacks
there by Russian mercenary group Wagner.

The leader of the group has vowed to capture the area's huge underground
mines.
The British Foreign Office is warning against all travel to Ukraine due to
attacks on a number of different cities currently taking place, as the war
against Russia continues into its 11th month.

It says there is a "real risk to life", adding British nationals still in Ukraine
should leave immediately.

There have been several cases of Britons going missing or being captured in
Ukraine over the last year.

Last September, five British nationals who were being held by Russian-backed
forces were released after Saudi Arabia said it had brokered an exchange
between Russia and Ukraine of 10 detainees.

This meant Aiden Aslin, John Harding, Dylan Healy, Andrew Hill and Shaun
Pinner were all allowed to return home following months of capture.

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