The parents of one of the British volunteers missing in Ukraine have spoken of feeling “very raw” following their son’s disappearance in the war-torn country.
Andrew Bagshaw, 48, and Christopher Parry, 28, were last seen on Friday, according to the Ukraine’s national police.
They were heading to the town of Soledar in the eastern Donetsk region of the country, where fighting has been fierce in recent days. The pair have not made contact with anyone since leaving Kramatorsk at 8am on January 6.
Christine Parry, the mother of Mr Parry, a humanitarian volunteer helping to evacuate civilians, told MailOnline: “It’s all very raw at the moment. We are just trying to inform family members about what is going on.”
His father Robin Parry said: “We are all very proud of Chris and the work he has been doing.”
Soledar has come under a sustained attack by Russian and mercenary forces in recent days. Britain’s Ministry of Defence intelligence briefing today said that Russian and forces of the Wagner contract group were probably now in control of most of the town.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his video address last night that Soledar was holding on despite widespread destruction. He added that no walls have been left standing in the town.
Mr Parry, who was reportedly born in Truro, Cornwall, but later moved to Cheltenham, had previously spoken of evacuating people from the front-line.
“Sometimes, when you see some pretty terrible things it does stay with you,” he told Sky News last year.
Mr Parry said his parents were “proud (but) very concerned” when he told them of his plans to go to Ukraine.
Mr Bagshaw, a resident of New Zealand, was in Ukraine to assist in delivering humanitarian aid, according to New Zealand media reports.
A statement on behalf of his parents released to the press said: “Andrew is 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‘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.”
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the families of two British men who have gone missing in Ukraine.”
It comes after five Britons were released by Russian-backed forces in Ukraine in September.
It is understood that Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner, John Harding, Dylan Healy and Andrew Hill were released and flown back to Britain.
Additional reporting by agencies
