Russia’s Wagner private military group said overnight that it found the body of one of two British aid workers who went missing in eastern Ukraine over the weekend.
Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin's Concord firm posted photographs of two passports belonging to Andrew Bagshaw, 48, and Christopher Parry, 28.
“Today the body of one of them was found,” Concord said, adding that both documents had been found on the body. It did not identify the deceased Briton by name.
The Kremlin said it was unaware of “details” surrounding the death of the British national, but said it would consider an official request from London.
Bagshaw and Parry were reported missing on Saturday, one day after the two set out from the Donetsk region city of Kramatorsk for the town of Soledar, where Ukrainian and Russian forces have been waging fierce battles this month.
Wagner boss Prigozhin claimed Wednesday to have full control of Soledar, 15 kilometers from the war-torn city of Bakhmut, though the Kremlin and Russia’s Defense Ministry — as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — played down his assertion.
Bagshaw’s parents have said his work in Ukraine involved delivering food and medicine as well as helping evacuate elderly civilians from the front lines, according to the BBC.
Parry had recently been helping residents of Bakhmut to evacuate, the broadcaster said. His crowdfunding website raised money for civilian evacuations and vehicle repairs, as well as fuel and equipment.
British authorities have warned its nationals against traveling to Ukraine due to a “real risk to life” amid relentless attacks.
