Ukraine war: Briton killed while volunteering in Ukraine, says sister

Craig Mackintosh died "in the line of duty" on 24 August, his sister said

A British man has been killed while volunteering as a medic in Ukraine, his sister has said.

Craig Mackintosh, 48, from Thetford, Norfolk, died "in the line of duty" on 24 August, Lorna Mackintosh said.

Ms Mackintosh has raised more than £10,000 on a GoFundMe page to bring her brother's body back to the UK, asking: "Please help us bring this war hero home."

The Foreign Office said it was supporting the family.

Writing on the fundraising page, Ms Mackintosh said: "Our brother bravely volunteered to go to [Ukraine] as a medic to help save lives in this war torn country.

"This selfless man is currently stranded in a morgue in Ukraine and there is no help to get him home."

She said it would cost around £4,000 to return his body to the UK.

Mr Mackintosh was killed during his second trip to serve in Ukraine

"We have spoken to an international funeral provider and it's going to cost around £4,000 to have him repatriated back to the UK," she said.

"He gave his life to save others and he needs to come back home to have the service he deserves.

"A true hero's service surrounded by his family and friends. Please, please help to bring our hero home."

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Mr Mackintosh's partner, Natasha Lovett, 40, said the family had tried to talk him out of returning for a second time to Ukraine.

"But it was just in his blood - he just had to help and wanted to make a difference."

Mr Mackintosh sent this photo to his partner the day before he was killed

A landscape gardener, he had trained as a medic during his time serving with the Territorial Army when he was younger, she said.

The couple were in touch every day while he was out there, but when she last spoke to him on 23 August, the day before he was killed, he had told her it was "going to be a busy few days, so don't flap".

He had promised her he would be back home in the UK on 3 October.

"But that wasn't to be," she said.

"He was a true hero - but he was a hero to me before he went out there."

'Great bravery'

Mr Mackintosh had been serving with the militia attached to the Ukrainian army, his friend, George Dyson said.

It was Mr Mackintosh's second tour of the country and he was near the city of Kharkiv when he was shot.

The pair were last in touch via an encrypted messaging site on 18 August, when Mr Mackintosh told him his unit was under heavy fire, Mr Dyson said.

He said he was looking forward to coming home.

Mr Mackintosh was with a team near Kharkiv, a city heavily shelled by the Russians

"He told me, 'this will be my last hurrah, so to speak'.

"He said he had 46 days left until his flight home, and said 'that's it, I'm going back to gardening'."

Posting a tribute to his friend on social media, Mr Dyson wrote that on the day Mr Mackintosh was killed, his "unit was pinned down and sustained casualties and Craig [being] a medic, did his job and was assisting in helping his fellow soldiers, and on running across open ground was unfortunately shot..."

He added: "I've just spoken to one of the guys that was attached to Craig's team and he said that Craig fought with great bravery and [honour]."

'It was his passion'

Turner Funerals in Mr Mackintosh's home town is arranging for his body to be brought back to the UK.

Its director, Lydia Turner said: "We have known the family and Craig for many years."

She said Mr Mackintosh had wanted to join the British Army when he was younger, but a medical condition meant he could not, so he joined the Territorial Army instead.

"It was his passion to help and to go out there to Ukraine to make a difference," she said.

"When he came back, he knew he just had to go out there again."

She said two of the funeral company's staff would be driving the 1,600 miles to Ukraine and were working closely with the British Consulate and Ukraine police.

Mr Mackintosh had been taken to Lozova, south of Kharkiv, but they were hoping his body could be moved to a safer location as Lozova was under heavy fire, she said.

A Foreign Office spokesperson told the PA news agency: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Ukraine and are in contact with the local authorities."

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