British aid workers killed in Ukraine 'showed signs of torture and execution' as family reveal autopsy details

14 August 2023, 17:42 | Updated: 14 August 2023, 18:32

Two British aid workers who died in Ukraine showed signs of torture and were likely executed at the hands of either Russia or Wagner mercenaries, the family of one of the victims has revealed.

The bodies of Chris Parry, 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, 47, were returned to Ukraine alongside 116 others as part of a prisoner swap with Russia in February.

The pair went missing in the country in January en route to the town of Soledar, in the eastern Donetsk region of the country, after it was initially believed their vehicle was hit by an artillery shell.

Now, according to the family of Mr Bagshaw - who held dual British-New Zealand citizenship, the post-mortem revealed darker details surrounding the pair's death.

According to Mr Bagshaw's parents, Professor Philip and Dame Susan Bagshaw, post-mortem examinations conducted in the UK following repatriation revealed signs of abuse and execution.

Speaking with New Zealand outlet Stuff, Mr Bagshaw's parents said the findings suggested the pair were taken hostage and tortured before they were killed. 

"He was definitely shot. He may well have been abused. We don't like to think how badly, but the report of his post-mortem is horrific," his father revealed.

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Read more: Bodies of British volunteers Chris Parry and Andrew Bagshaw returned in Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap

"Chris was shot twice, once through the torso, and once through the head," he said, adding that fellow aid worker Andrew had similar wounds.

With results suggesting his son was likely the victim of war crimes, Mr Bagshaw continued: "How badly he was abused, we'll probably never know."

He added that co-operation between Ukrainian authorities and the UK suggested the official line - that his son's death came as a result of an artillery strike - was, in all probability, untrue. 

"There are all sorts of reasons for believing that we don't have the full story," he continued.

"There is no question that his phone was activated a couple of days after he went missing, which would imply that he was conscious two days after he went missing."

The troubling details come as the Russian Ruble hit a 16-month low against the dollar.

The news also coincides with RAF jets being scrambled to intercept Russian bombers after they flew to the north of Scotland.