Andrew Bagshaw died alongside fellow aid worker Chris Parry. Photo: Supplied / Susan and Philip Bagshaw
A humanitarian worker who evacuated civilians from the Ukraine conflict was unlawfully killed, a coroner has found.
Christopher Parry, 28, died in January 2023 from gunshot wounds to the head and torso, an inquest heard.
Coroner Darren Salter cited "some evidence" of involvement of the Wagner Group - a Russian-state funded private military company.
The inquest also heard about a speech Parry made for his parents' anniversary before leaving for Ukraine.
His mother Christine Parry said in a statement: "He thanked us for being such great parents.
"It was totally out of character," she said.
"Looking back I think he probably knew he wouldn't be back".
Parry, from Truro, died alongside fellow volunteer, Andrew Bagshaw, the inquest heard.
In statements read out by the coroner, Parry's colleagues described his intention to evacuate a civilian from the Soledar region of Ukraine on 6 January 2023.
Parry's girlfriend Olha Volodymyrivna Khomenko said after receiving a message from her boyfriend that morning, she did not hear from him again.
His body was later recovered and returned to the UK following an initial post-mortem examination in Ukraine.
Mr Salter, Her Majesty's Coroner for Oxfordshire, concluded Parry "was unlawfully killed while engaged in humanitarian work in Ukraine" on or around 7 January 2023 in the Soledar region of Ukraine.
Mr Salter said there were "evidential difficulties" due to the lack of eye witness accounts.
But he referred to "some evidence" of the involvement of the Wagner Group - a Russian-state funded private military company.
This included messages sent on the mobile app Telegram from Bagshaw's phone which "appeared to be in the hands of someone from the Wagner group".
Mr Salter said: "The loss of Chris and Andrew in these circumstance is very sad indeed, given that they were engaged in, and had been for some time, humanitarian work.
"Quite a large part of it appears to have involved rescuing people from danger areas so there was significant risk."
He said "evidence available" indicated they were engaged in humanitarian work when they went missing on 6 January.
Surgeon Commander Michael Bamber Forensic Dental Officer, said in a statement Parry's identity had been confirmed through dental records.
Dr Russell Delaney, consultant forensic pathologist at Oxfordshire's John Radcliffe Hospital, outlined in a statement Parry's cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head and torso.
Noting "limitations" caused by the passage of time and a previous post-mortem in Ukraine, he said there was "no indication of discharge of a weapon at close or contact range".
Describing the family's "devastation", Christine Parry said in a statement they would "always remember" their son "and include him in their lives".
"We will learn to live with the pain but never ever forget him," she said, describing the family's intention to "continue his humanitarian work" in Ukraine.
"Ukraine will be in our hearts forever", she added.
This story was originally published by the BBC.
