Latest news with #Shan-LeKearns
1News
3 days ago
- Politics
- 1News
Body of Kiwi killed in Ukraine has not been located, says ambassador
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence says the body of the latest New Zealander killed in its war remains missing. As 1News reported exclusively on Thursday, Shan-Le Kearns was recently killed in Ukraine. However, it remained unclear whether his family will be able to say a proper goodbye. Today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Kearns' death as an 'absolute tragedy', but couldn't say what, if anything, could be done to bring him home. Shan-Le Kearns. (Source: Supplied) 'We haven't had official confirmation from the Ukranian authorities so it's not appropriate for me to comment too much further,' said Luxon. ADVERTISEMENT While his remains were still believed to be on Russian-occupied land, the Russian embassy told 1News that, since he was supporting Ukraine, Kyiv was responsible for his fate, along with answering any queries about bringing him home. Ukraine's ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, said in a text that Kearns was officially listed as missing, which meant his body had not been located. Shan-le Kearns was the fourth New Zealander known to be killed in Ukraine — after Dominic Abelen, Andrew Bagshaw and Kane Te Tai. Shan-Le Kearns is the fourth New Zealander to be killed. Lisa Davies spoke with his mother. (Source: 1News) Efforts to repatriate their bodies home have taken as little as a few months, and as long as a few years. Former Defence Minister and soldier Ron Mark said: 'They all perform with distinction, and they paid the ultimate price knowing that might well be the case.' Those who went to Ukraine did so without our Government's backing, he said. ADVERTISEMENT 'I think that's sad, personally, but you know that's only a personal view, it's only my view and the government has other things to consider. I know that,' said Mark. New Zealand has supported the war-torn nation off the battlefield instead, helping train its soldiers before deployment. 'I feel for the family. I feel for his mum, I feel for his dad, but I take some consolation they're very proud of their son.'
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Christchurch man believed killed trying to save wounded soldiers in Ukraine
A Christchurch man who died in Ukraine while helping the country's war efforts had earlier said he was living the dream. Twenty-six-year-old Shan-Le Kearns, from Christchurch, died in the past few weeks. He had posted on social media a slogan that translated to 'Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes'. A source in Ukraine said he had been trying to rescue wounded comrades when his group was hit by drones and explosives. Kearns died attempting to save fellow soldiers, and a Finnish soldier was killed alongside him, the source said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had not yet received any confirmation from Ukraine authorities and was urgently seeking information. However, it said the process may take some time given the situation on the ground in Ukraine. It said no further information could be shared, citing privacy reasons. Elis Kearns told 1News that her son was not on the front line but had been trained in combat so he could help rescue injured soldiers. He had been in Ukraine for two years and was intending to stay for another to fulfil his three-year contract, she said. Kearns is the fourth New Zealander known to have died in Ukraine. Dominic Abelen, 28, was killed on 23 August 2022; Andrew Bagshaw, 47, on 6 January 2023; and Kane Te Tai, 38, on 20 March 2023. The Weatherman Foundation is an American NGO which has been in Ukraine since the start of Russia's full scale invasion of the country. Kyiv-based Lauren Guillaume who is from the foundation's missing-in-action programme said the programme started out delivering humanitarian aid but had developed "to really cover the life of a soldier - all the way from treating the wounded in action both their physical wounds and mental PTSD wounds". The programme also supports the families of the missing in action and killed in action, she said. "Unfortunately these days the difference often between a missing in action and killed in action soldier is whether or not their body can be recovered from the battlefield," she said. "What our team does is investigate to identify their body and we also pursue a court case to help the family try to receive a death certificate in the terrible circumstance if a body cannot be recovered." The only way a family such as Sharn-Le Kearns' family can obtain a death certificate "is either through his physical repatriation or through a court case", she said. "So we are helping them in this process all the way from collecting DNA back in New Zealand, helping them to navigate the Ukrainian judicial system by helping them to collect witness testimonies and submit a case to the Ukrainian court, all the way to eventually helping them apply for the compensation that they're owed." The foundation's team also visits morgues all around Ukraine to look at unidentified remains on the chance that it could be him, she said.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Chch man killed in Ukraine
A Christchurch man who died in Ukraine while helping the country's war efforts had earlier said he was living the dream. Twenty-six-year-old Shan-Le Kearns, from Christchurch, died in the past few weeks. He had posted on social media a slogan that translated to 'Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes'. A source in Ukraine told RNZ he had been trying to rescue wounded comrades when his group was hit by drones and explosives. Kearns died attempting to save fellow soldiers, and a Finnish soldier was killed alongside him, the source said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had not yet received any confirmation from Ukraine authorities and was urgently seeking information. However, it said the process may take some time given the situation on the ground in Ukraine. It said no further information could be shared, citing privacy reasons. Elis Kearns told 1News that her son was not on the front line but had been trained in combat so he could help rescue injured soldiers. He had been in Ukraine for two years and was intending to stay for another to fulfil his three-year contract, she said. Kearns is the fourth New Zealander known to have died in Ukraine. Dominic Abelen, 28, was killed on 23 August 2022; Andrew Bagshaw, 47, on 6 January 2023; and Kane Te Tai, 38, on 20 March 2023. The Weatherman Foundation is an American NGO which has been in Ukraine since the start of Russia's full scale invasion of the country. Kyiv-based Lauren Guillaume who is from the foundation's missing-in-action programme said the programme started out delivering humanitarian aid but had developed "to really cover the life of a soldier - all the way from treating the wounded in action both their physical wounds and mental PTSD wounds". The programme also supports the families of the missing in action and killed in action, she said. "Unfortunately these days the difference often between a missing in action and killed in action soldier is whether or not their body can be recovered from the battlefield," she said. "What our team does is investigate to identify their body and we also pursue a court case to help the family try to receive a death certificate in the terrible circumstance if a body cannot be recovered." The only way a family such as Sharn-Le Kearns' family can obtain a death certificate "is either through his physical repatriation or through a court case", she said. "So we are helping them in this process all the way from collecting DNA back in New Zealand, helping them to navigate the Ukrainian judicial system by helping them to collect witness testimonies and submit a case to the Ukrainian court, all the way to eventually helping them apply for the compensation that they're owed." The foundation's team also visits morgues all around Ukraine to look at unidentified remains on the chance that it could be him, she said.
