Watch Live: Andrew Bagshaw's family speak to the media after his body was found in Ukraine. Video / George Heard
The body of Andrew Bagshaw, a Kiwi volunteering in war-torn Ukraine, has been found, his family has confirmed.
Dame Sue and Professor Phil Bagshaw revealed their son and British man Christopher Parry had been trying to rescue an elderly woman from Soledar, in an area of intense military action, when their car was hit by an artillery shell.
“The Ukrainian authorities, and government officials in New Zealand and London have been working hard to learn more details but little further is known about the circumstances of his death,” the family said.
“Andrew selflessly took many personal risks and saved many lives; we love him and are very proud indeed of what he did.”
Andrew Bagshaw was volunteering in the Ukraine.. Photo / Grzegorz Rybak / RNZ.
The family confirmed it would be some time before Andrew’s remains returned to New Zealand because of official legal processes in Ukraine.
“We intend that his death shall not be in vain,” the family said. “We are among many parents who grieve the deaths of their sons and daughters.”
The parents called for nations of the world to stop the “immoral war” and to help the Ukrainians to “rid their homeland of an aggressor”.
“The world needs to be strong and stand with Ukraine, giving them the military support, they need now and, help to rebuild their shattered country after the war.”
Bagshaw’s parents confirmed earlier this month that their son and Parry had disappeared.
Reuters reported that forces from Russia’s private military firm Wagner Group had found the body of one of the pair. It was not confirmed at the time who it was.
Dame Sue and Professor Phil Bagshaw confirmed Andrew was the aid worker whose body had been found.
They earlier told media their son was 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”.
Andrew Bagshaw's parents Dame Sue and Phil. Photo / RNZ
Andrew was born in the United Kingdom. Philip and Susan said they were very grateful for all the agencies from London and New Zealand, who worked so hard to find him after he disappeared.
They were particularly grateful to Kiwi Kare, an NGO working with volunteers in Ukraine.
Grzegorz Rybak was with Bagshaw, helping evacuate people and animals from the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
He speaks English, Polish and Russian, and translated for Bagshaw as they worked to provide relief for the region.
He had toldRNZ the humanitarian situation there was harrowing.
“We were delivering food, sanitary pads, encouraging people to evacuate,” he said.
Rybak said there had been those reluctant to leave their homes and belongings behind.
Rybak said he was hugely respected for his work there. He had been sharing a flat with Bagshaw for two weeks. He said the people still searching for him were exhausted, physically and emotionally, but were keeping up the search as best they could.
“The police are looking for him, the army is looking for him; he’s gained huge respect,” he said.
Grzegorz said Andrew showed humanity at the highest level through the work he was doing in Bakhmut.
International photojournalist Laurel Chor had documented Bagshaw and Parry’s exploits late last year as they worked in “dangerous and scary” contested areas destroyed by constant shelling, trying to rescue people.
“The evacuations can also be emotional; it’s always hard to watch people bid goodbye to family and friends who refuse to leave,” she said in a tribute post.
“Andrew, a scientist with a PhD, is quiet and reserved. But I saw how he stopped at nothing to aid those that others wouldn’t or couldn’t help.”
She saw the pair go on a “wild goose chase” on foot in Southern Bakhmut to find an elderly, wheelchair-bound woman, knocking on doors in places cars couldn’t go.
“Later, I was with Andrew again in Southern Bakhmut after dark, trying to convince a young woman and her father who refused to leave despite the sound of small-arms fire getting louder and louder,” Chor said.
She described both Bagshaw and Parry as heroes.
The Daily Mirror reported that Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin’s representative had posted: “On January 8, the Ask Wagner hotline received a request to find two British citizens who disappeared on January 6 in Soledar - Andrew Bagshaw and Christopher Parry. Today the body of one of them was found, documents on both Britons were found with him.”
