‘DEEPLY SAD’

New Zealand Soldier Killed While on Leave in Ukraine

It's thought around 500 Kiwis volunteered to fight.

A Kiwi soldier has been killed in Ukraine while off duty from the New Zealand Defense Force, a spokesperson for the force confirmed Wednesday. The unidentified fighter was not on active duty with the NZDF at the time and was on a period of unpaid leave. “At this early stage, there is still more information to be gathered in order to understand the circumstances fully,” the NZDF said in a statement. The New Zealand Army will work closely with the family of the soldier to offer support at this deeply sad time.” The circumstances surrounding the soldier’s death are yet to be reported. More than 500 New Zealanders volunteered to fight Putin’s war machine when the war broke out, according to Ukraine’s honorary consul in New Zealand.