The two British aid workers who went missing in Ukraine have been confirmed as dead - as a family statement reveals they were killed attempting a "humanitarian evacuation" from the town of Soledar.
Hero British volunteers Chris Parry, 28, and colleague Andrew Bagshaw, 47, have both been tragically killed, a statement from the Parry family, released through the Foreign Office, said tonight.
Chris had saved "over 400 lives" plus many abandoned animals, his family said, as they described him as a "a confident, outward-looking and adventurous young man who was loyal to everyone he knew".
According to a statement from the parents of Mr Bagshaw, the pair were attempting to rescue an elderly woman in an area of intense military action when their car was hit by an artillery shell.
The statement from Rob, Christine and Katy Parry said: “It is with great sadness we have to announce that our beloved Chrissy has been killed along with his colleague Andrew Bagshaw whilst attempting a humanitarian evacuation from Soledar, eastern Ukraine.
"His selfless determination in helping the old, young and disadvantaged there has made us and his larger family extremely proud. We never imagined we would be saying goodbye to Chris when he had such a full life ahead of him.
"He was a caring son, fantastic brother, a best friend to so many and a loving partner to Olga."
“Chris was a confident, outward looking and adventurous young man who was loyal to everyone he knew.
“He lived and worked away as a software engineer but Cornwall was always his home. He loved rock climbing, cycling, running and skydiving and wanted to travel the world.
“He found himself drawn to Ukraine in March in its darkest hour at the start of the Russian invasion and helped those most in need, saving over 400 lives plus many abandoned animals.
“It is impossible to put into words how much he will be missed but he will forever be in our hearts.
“We feel so privileged that he chose our family to be part of.”
Mr Bagshaw, a resident of New Zealand, was in Ukraine to assist in delivering humanitarian aid, according to New Zealand media reports.
A statement from his parents, Dame Sue and professor Phil Bagshaw, said: “He and a colleague, Chris Parry, were attempting 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. Due to official legal processes in Ukraine it will be some time before Andrew’s remains are returned to New Zealand.
“Andrew selflessly took many personal risks and saved many lives; we love him and are very proud indeed of what he did.
“Andrew, age 47, was single, with a brother, two sisters and seven nephews and nieces. He was a scientific researcher in Genetics but had been working as a volunteer aid worker in Ukraine since last April.
“We intend that his death shall not be in vain. We are amongst many parents who grieve the deaths of their sons and daughters. We urge the civilized countries of the world to stop this immoral war and to help the Ukrainians to rid their homeland of an aggressor.”
The head of a group of Russian mercenary soldiers previously claimed his forces had found the body of one of two British voluntary workers, Chris and Andrew, who were reported missing in Ukraine.
Chris and Andrew went missing earlier in January, with a spokesperson for Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin soon claiming at least one of them was confirmed as dead- but official confirmation had waited until tonight.
The pair were last seen leaving Kramatorsk for Soledar, in eastern Donetsk, where there is said to be heavy fighting.
Mr Parry, who was reportedly born in Truro, Cornwall, but later moved to Cheltenham, had previously spoken of evacuating people from the front line.
Cherilyn Mackrory, the Conservative MP for Truro and Falmouth, said: “My deepest condolences to the family of my constituent Christopher Parry, whose death in Ukraine has been confirmed by the Foreign Office.
“My thoughts are with his family at this time, and I understand they are receiving support from Foreign Office staff.”
Chris was working as a running coach in Cheltenham when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 last year. Helping out in extremely dangerous situations, Chris helped evacuate the city of Severodonetsk before it fell to Russia in June last year.
Only three days before he went missing, Chris said the key to staying safer in Ukraine was a choice between going slowly on foot, or quickly in a car but at a higher risk of being spotted.
He told journalist Arnaud De Decker: "Hopefully you can just do it quick enough so that the drones don't spot you and then you can just park it in a building and hide.
"But, yeah, a lot of volunteers won't go any more, but there are people there who want to get out, so I'm willing to go."
The Wagner Group are considered Russian President Vladimir Putin's 'private army' and is reported to number around 8,000 soldiers.
In Telegram group Press Service of Prigozhin, a post at about 7.30pm on January 12, said: "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."
They also shared photos of what appear to be the two men's passports.
It is unclear exactly what the military situation is in Soledar with Russian forces claiming it had fallen to them but with no confirmation from the Ukrainian Government.
The town lies north-east of Bakhmut which has seen some of the worst urban warfare of the invasion so far.
A couple of hours earlier, another post in the Telegram group said: “Once again I want to confirm the complete liberation and cleansing of the territory of Soledar from units of the Ukrainian army.
"Civilians were withdrawn, the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who did not want to surrender, were destroyed. Killed about 500 people. The whole city is littered with the corpses of Ukrainian soldiers.
"There can be no talk of any humanitarian corridor. Let's start clearing mines."
