New Zealand’s Defence Force is in the dark on the identity of a former Kiwi soldier seen fighting Russian forces in Ukraine alongside a group of international volunteers.
It comes following the Government’s announcement of fresh support to Ukraine, both through financial means and personnel, although the latter has been scaled down.
The soldier, wearing New Zealand insignia, has appeared in foreign news videos on the conflict and in social media posted by foreign fighters, reported by the NZ Herald on Sunday.
A social media account in the man’s name says he served in the army between 2011 and 2019, though he was not in a combat role.
The account said that after leaving the military, he held several jobs with private security companies before taking up a role as a “military instructor” in Ukraine in April 2022.
It said he was now serving with an organisation called the Dark Angels of Ukraine, a British-founded group of foreign fighters operating in Ukraine.
In August, off-duty New Zealand soldier Dominic Abelen was killed in a firefight trying to retake an enemy trench in Ukraine. Efforts to return his body had not yet been successful.
The Defence Force and the Government had repeatedly urged people against travelling to Ukraine and reminded members of the Defence Force that they were not permitted to fight in Ukraine.
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies, vice-chief of the Defence Force, said he had very little information as to the man’s identity, when asked for his age and whether the Defence Force was in contact with his family.
“Currently we don’t know who that person is,” Davies said.
“The Defence Force has no links with the soldier that has been reported to be fighting on the ground presently, other than that he was a member of the New Zealand Defence Force up to about three years ago.”
He said while options were “very limited”, the Defence Force has sought to contact everyone who had a “reserve connection” with the Defence Force to remind them of their obligations with respect to Ukraine.
His message was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.
“Our position hasn’t changed, New Zealanders shouldn’t be in Ukraine to fight and that won’t change regardless of the situation.”
Both Davies and Defence Minister Peeni Henare rejected any suggestion New Zealand Defence Force members were frustrated by not being able to assist Ukraine’s effort in-person on the ground.
New Zealand’s assistance with respect to personnel was given through the training of Ukrainians in the United Kingdom.
Today, the Government announced one infantry training team, 66 Defence Force personnel, would travel to the UK and commence training from November 30 to July 31, next year.
They would replace the 120 personnel who had travelled to the UK in recent months and would be returning home.
Despite the scaling down, Henare said it was his expectation the same amount of training would take place, alongside other personnel from Australia and Canada.
Henare said a balance needed to be struck between deploying staff to assist Ukraine and retaining enough resources to respond to domestic matters and those in the Pacific, particularly as cyclone season approached.
He rejected the implication New Zealand had to scale down the size of its deployment because the Defence Force was insufficiently staffed.
In addition to the infantry training team, the Defence Force’s current 12-person contribution to intelligence efforts, as well as some New Zealand-based staff, would be extended from November 30 until June 30. Two additional support positions would be created with those chosen to be based in the UK over the same period.
Eight people involved in command and administration support would be deployed from November 30 until July 31, next year.
The Government had recommenced the deployment of four people to a logistics hub in Europe, alongside the extension of the Defence Force’s existing liaison officer contributions in the UK and Europe.
The Government had also confirmed $1.85 million would be donated to the World Food Programme to address global food insecurity, exacerbated by the war. Another $1.85m contribution would be made in order to purchase non-lethal military equipment and supplies for Ukraine during the northern winter.