Truro aid worker killed in Ukraine hated injustice, parents say

Rob and Christine Parry have visited Ukraine since their son's death

The parents of a British aid worker killed during the Ukraine conflict have been speaking a year after his death.

Chris Parry, 28, from Truro in Cornwall, died alongside fellow volunteer Andrew Bagshaw in January 2023.

His father Rob Parry said his son had "from an early age hated injustice" and that is what motivated his work.

His mother Christine Parry said: "They should never have been killed - they were evacuators."

Following an inquest, his parents understand he was killed by two gunshots at close range, to the head and torso, and not by tank fire as was initially suspected.

Both Mr Parry and Mr Bagshaw were helping to evacuate a woman from an area of heavy bombardment in eastern Ukraine when they were killed.

Chris Parry was killed in eastern Ukraine in January

Mrs Parry said: "We don't know who did it, when they did it or even why they did it.

"The best we can hope for is that they recognise it as an unlawful killing. Ideally what we would like is for it to be acknowledged as a war crime but whether that will happen we don't know."

Andrew Bagshaw, pictured left, and Christopher Parry helped those most in need, according to their families

Since his death Mr and Mrs Parry, and their daughter Kate have travelled to Ukraine to deliver vehicles to help those needing to be taken to safety.

Mrs Parry said: "It was so heart warming to do that journey in the same way that Chris would have done it. It was really uplifting. Sad? Yes, but it did feel like a bit of an adventure."

The family hopes to continue the work in the future.

"It is immense how proud we are of him", Mr Parry added.