Australia confirms the death of one of its citizens fighting against Russian forces in Ukraine

MADRID, 28 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Australian Government has confirmed this Wednesday the death of an Australian citizen who traveled to Ukraine to fight on the side of the Army against the Russian invasion, unleashed on February 24 by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Australian Foreign Ministry has indicated that the man, identified as Sage O'Donnell', "has died in combat defending the freedom of the Ukrainian people", without specifying the date of his death.

It has also confirmed that "it is giving consular assistance to the family of an Australian who has died in Ukraine," according to the Australian television channel ABC.

For her part, O'Donnell's mother has said that the family is "devastated" by the death of the young man and has stated that the family "will miss his humor, his tender heart, his values ​​and his laughter."

"Sage died in combat defending the freedom of the Ukrainian people. He has always believed in defending the country, the people and the right to freedom," the mother stressed. "Sage passionately upheld her values ​​and served in her country and recently in the Ukraine," she added.

In this sense, O'Donnell's mother has emphasized that "Sage decided to act because of his empathy with the Ukrainian people and in the face of the injustice that is taking place." "Sage chose to live his life by being honest with his beliefs and his cause," she concluded.

According to the aforementioned television network, O'Donnell would be the fourth Australian killed in combat in Ukraine. In November Trevor Kjeldal was killed in a mortar attack in the Donbas region, located in the east of the country and the scene of a conflict since 2014.