A New Zealander flighting on the front lines in Ukraine has been killed in battle.
The former defence force soldier Kane Te Tai had been in the war zone since April.
RNZ has been told of his death by sources on the ground who have spoken to his unit commander.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed it has also heard reports of the New Zealander's death.
But there has been no official word from the International Foreign Leigon - or GUR the unit of the Ukrainian Military Te Tai worked with.
He is the third New Zealander to die in the conflict.
Dominic Abelen was killed in combat last August. His body is still in Russian hands. Humanitarian, Andrew Bagshaw was killed by artillery fire in January after trying to evacuate an elderly woman from her home near the front line.
Te Tai spoke to RNZ reporter Charlotte Cook in August after the death of his friend Dominic Abelen.
He explained why he had chosen to fight on the front lines and what his life was like there. Te Tai said parts of the war in Ukraine could be your own special kind of hell.
Then, just days ago, Te Tai told his friend that he was finished with war and ready to come home.
In a message he said he loved Ukraine, but it was time to start living a real life. "Gotta put the toys away and start to build while I can", he said.
He was killed in trench warfare- but his body has been able to be retrieved unlike Abelen.
He has been described as a warrior in life and in death.
People who knew him say - Te Tai was passionate about his cause, driven, cheeky and a protector of people.
