2 British men missing in Donetsk: Ukraine police

Kiev, Jan 10

Ukrainian police said that two British men, who were doing voluntary work, have gone missing in the eastern Donetsk region.

According to the police, Andrew Bagshaw, 48, and Christopher Parry, 28, were last seen on January 6 heading to the town of Soledar where intense fighting is ongoing, reports the BBC.

Responding to the development, the British Foreign Office said it was "supporting the families of two British men who have gone missing in Ukraine".

The Office also warned against all travel to Ukraine due to attacks on a number of different cities currently taking place, as the war against Russia will complete a year on February 24

It said there was a "real risk to life" and that British nationals still in Ukraine should leave immediately.

The police department in the city of Bakhmut said they had received a missing person's report at around 5.15 p.m. on January 7, and on Monday appealed for any information that could help locate the two men.

Meanwhile, Bagshaw's parents issued a statement to the media, saying that they "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".

Last Christmas, Parry had spoken to the BBC during which he described having a "drive to help, as the people here are so lovely".

From Truro in Cornwall, he travelled to Ukraine to do humanitarian work and most recently had been helping people evacuate from Bakhmut.

He also told the BBC 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".

Parry 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.

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

In September 2022, 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.

--IANS