26 Aug 2022

Former soldier on situation with slain NZ soldier's body

From Morning Report, 8:15 am on 26 August 2022

The body of a New Zealand soldier killed in Ukraine is thought to be in the hands of Russian soldiers, according to a number of sources.

Corporal Dominic Abelen died fighting Russian forces while on leave from the army.

Multiple sources have told RNZ they believe his body is in Russian hands but a spokesperson for Jacinda Ardern's office says they simply don't know if that's true or not.  

They say New Zealand has no officials on the ground in Ukraine.

Aaron Wood is a former soldier and co- founder of No Duff - a volunteer Veterans group providing immediate welfare assistance to past and present members of the NZDF. 

He has seen a video of what he understands to be the immediate aftermath of the attack.