A pair of British assist volunteers killed close to the entrance strains in Ukraine in January have been possible tortured and executed by Russian troops or mercenaries from the Wthat is Agner group, the household of one of many victims has claimed.
The our bodies of Chris Parry, 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, 47, a twin British-New Zealand citizen, have been returned to Ukraine earlier this yr as a part of a prisoner change with Russia and have been later repatriated to the UK.
They have been thought to have been killed when their automotive was hit by an artillery shell through the evacuation of civilians from Soledar, a city close to the disputed metropolis of Bakhmut in Donetsk.
But Bagshaw’s dad and mom, Professor Philip and Dame Susan Bagshaw, advised the New Zealand outlet Stuff that the outcomes of autopsy examinations within the UK revealed indicators of beatings and a cold-blooded execution, suggesting they have been held hostage and tortured earlier than being killed.
“He was definitely shot. He may have been abused. We hate to think about how bad, but the autopsy report is terrible,’ Philip said.
“Chris was shot twice, once in the torso and once in the head,” he mentioned, including that Andrew suffered the identical destiny.
“Well, that sounds like the recipe for an execution.”
Philip Bagshaw declined to offer additional particulars concerning the post-mortem, however mentioned the outcomes confirmed his son Andrew (pictured) was possible the sufferer of a struggle crime.
Philip declined to offer additional particulars concerning the post-mortem, however mentioned the outcomes confirmed his son was possible the sufferer of a struggle crime.
“How badly he was abused, we will probably never know,” Philip mentioned, including that working with Ukrainian authorities, he had uncovered extra proof that the official report of his son’s dying in an artillery assault was most likely unfaithful.
“There are all sorts of reasons to believe we don’t have the full story… there is no doubt that his phone was activated a few days after he went missing, which would imply that he was conscious two days after he went missing.”
Philip mentioned it was “by far the most likely scenario” that each his son and companion Parry have been stopped by the Wagner Group and kidnapped from their help car.
The mercenary drive, led on the time by the oligarch-turned-warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin, was closely concerned in Russia’s makes an attempt to take town of Soledar, the close by settlement of Vuhledar and town of Bakhmut, the epicenter of the bloody battle in Eastern Ukraine.
Philip and Susan are actually working with a lawyer and coordinating with Ukrainian authorities to additional examine their son’s dying. Philip claims that the British FCDO ‘played time’ when challenged concerning the circumstances of Andrew and Chris’ deaths, and maintained the official line that that they had been killed in an artillery assault regardless of proof on the contrary.
MailOnline has contacted the FCDO for remark.
Before their deaths in January, Andrew and Chris have been evacuating civilians in a number of the most war-torn areas close to Bakhmut, the place there was fierce preventing between Ukrainian and Russian forces for months.
Using a Mercedes Sprinter van and well-worn automobiles, the pair helped carry provides to the entrance strains and to security those that would in any other case have perished amid the bitter battle.
The volunteers left Kramatorsk in early January to drive to the close by city of Soledar, Ukrainian police mentioned, however by no means reached their vacation spot.
Christopher Parry is depicted with a lady whose household he helped evacuate from the entrance strains
Smoke rises after shelling in Soledar, web site of heavy preventing with Russian troops in Donetsk area, Ukraine, Sunday, January 8, 2023
Plumes of smoke rise from a Russian assault throughout a 36-hour Orthodox Christmas ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin because the Russian assault on Ukraine continues, from the frontline Donbas metropolis of Bakhmut, Ukraine, January 7, 2023
Andrew Bagshaw is depicted getting ready to go to the entrance strains
The National Police of Ukraine wrote in a social media put up: “On January 7, around 5.15 pm, the duty unit of the Bakhmut district police received a report of the disappearance of two volunteers – citizens of Great Britain.
“It is known that the day before, January 6, at eight o’clock in the morning, Andrew Bagshaw and Christopher Parry left Kramatorsk for Soledar, but contact with them was lost.”
Born in Cornwall however later shifting to Cheltenham, Chris was a operating coach earlier than shopping for a one-way ticket to Ukraine in March final yr.
He felt compelled to assist Ukraine defend his nation towards Russia and deliberate to join the Ukrainian Legion of Foreign Fighters, however mentioned he was advised his lack of fight expertise would solely make him a “hurdle” and turned his efforts into evacuations as a substitute.
Speak towards sky news in December, Parry recounted the horrific scenes he had seen first hand in Bakhmut and the stress of working beneath the fixed menace of significant harm or dying.
“I went to a military commando unit and spoke to some soldiers who described Bakhmut as the ‘worst place they had ever been’.” They mentioned “this is not war, this is hell”.
“The missiles landed on the building next door, the roof was shaking. I asked the soldiers how feasible it is to get to the location of the next evacuee, and they said it was 50/50 that you would be fired upon by a tank.
“I think people who try to evacuate now will either be shot or forced to become Russian for the rest of their lives.
“That’s why I was willing to take the risk, because I know that these people will be executed or taken away on the street.”
Andrew, in the meantime, was born within the UK however lived in Christchurch, New Zealand.
His dad and mom, Philip and Susan, are distinguished figures in Christchurch, the place they based the Canterbury Charity Hospital and made important contributions to youth psychological well being care.
Their son purchased a one-way ticket to Ukraine in March final yr, working with New Zealand-based NGO Kiwi Aid and Refugee Evacuation (KARE).
After the revelation that Andrew had apparently been tortured and executed, Philip said that his son’s dying ought to be registered within the “ocean of crime and abuse” surrounding the battle in Ukraine.
He additionally urged the New Zealand authorities to take an energetic curiosity within the Ukrainian investigation into Andrew’s dying.
“He’s simply one among 1000’s of struggle crimes commonly dedicated there. The solely distinction right here is that he’s a New Zealand citizen, and it ought to be added that he has been a New Zealand citizen (a sufferer), as a result of if and when a day of reckoning ever comes, there will likely be an inventory and New Zealand can be on that listing.’