Bodies of British volunteers killed in Ukraine recovered during prisoner swap

The bodies of two British volunteers killed in Ukraine have been recovered in a prisoner swap with Russian forces, a top Ukrainian official has said.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the Ukrainian President, said that the bodies of Christopher Parry, 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, 48, had been handed over by the Russians as part of a prisoner of war exchange on Saturday.

Mr Yermak tweeted: "Another big POWs swap. We managed to get back 116 of our people.

"Those are the defenders of Mariupol, Kherson partisans, snipers from Bakhmut vicinities, and other heroes of ours.

"We managed to take the bodies of the foreign volunteers who'd perished, Christopher Matthew Parry and Andrew Tobias Matthew, as well as the body of Evgen Kulyk, a Ukrainian who'd served with the French Foreign Legion and volunteered to join the Ukrainian forces."

The pair went missing in January while heading to the town of Soledar, in the eastern Donetsk region of the country, where heavy fighting was reported.

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.

Mr Parry's family paid tribute to their son in a statement released through the Foreign Office.

Rob, Christine and Katy Parry described him as a "caring son, fantastic brother, a best friend to so many and a loving partner to Olga".

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"Chris was a confident, outward looking and adventurous young man who was loyal to everyone he knew," the statement added.

"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."

Mr Parry, who was reportedly born in Truro, Cornwall, but later moved to Cheltenham, had previously spoken of evacuating people from the front line.

Mr Bagshaw's family said their son "selflessly took many personal risks and saved many lives".

Dame Sue and professor Phil Bagshaw, said in a statement: "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 civilised countries of the world to stop this immoral war and to help the Ukrainians to rid their homeland of an aggressor."

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