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A “courageous” Australian has died while volunteering to clear landmines in war-torn Ukraine.
SBS News understands Nick Parsons died in a demining incident near Izyum in eastern Ukraine last week.
The 28-year-old was volunteering with humanitarian and mine clearance charity Prevail Together, with Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia saying the death was “very sad and very unfortunate”.
“I would like to express my condolences to his family members to his friends and relatives here in Australia, it’s very tragic,” Vasyl Myroshnychenko told SBS News.
“He was just a volunteer, but was on a very important mission, a demining mission.
“We are very thankful to him and for his courageous work in Ukraine.
“Demining is one of those areas where your life is 50/50, you know, you can live or you can die, and it’s one of those sharp razors that you walk on, and it’s very dangerous.”
Parsons was one of three people critically injured in the incident. Prevail board member Shaun Pinner posted on X that the organisation’s co-founder, Chris Garrett, had also died as a result of his injuries.
He confirmed to SBS News that an Australian citizen was killed in Ukraine.
“Currently we are working with local authorities and respective consulates. Our primary role is to get our colleagues home to their families,” Pinner said.
Millions of mines have been placed in battlefields in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion by Russia began in February 2022, the UN said, adding it was “the most dangerous place for unexploded weapons today”.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed it was providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian killed in Ukraine.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” it said in a statement.
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