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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it may not be possible to repatriate the body of Corporal Dominic Abelen, who was killed fighting in Ukraine.
Abelen, 28, was on leave without pay and fighting for Ukraine without the Defence Force’s approval when he was killed last week.
Ardern, speaking on Monday afternoon, said it was not possible to determine when Abelen’s body might be returned to New Zealand.
“Nor can we be certain that that will be possible.”
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“It is very, very difficult for us to know with certainty information around Corporal Abelen and his circumstances right now, but everything that we do know we have shared with the family.”
Ardern said the Government could not guarantee assistance, or repatriation, to New Zealanders in Ukraine.
“I can understand that those individuals who have trained to save the lives of those in need, or to protect those in need, feel that urge.
“But please stay home because the devastating issue for us is that should you need us, we can’t get to you. And that is very, very hard for all of us to know, and to experience.
“I don’t want for a moment that advice to be taken in any way as a reprimand of the recent Corporal who’s lost his life … I have only sympathy and condolences for them [Abelen’s family] and the grief that they’re experiencing.”
Ardern said if any serving soldiers travelled to Ukraine while on leave, there would be an “intervention” and it would likely become an employment issue with the Defence Force.
The NZDF are working to ascertain whether any serving forces who may have sought to travel there, she said.
“Those who are serving personnel know the expectations of them. But of course there are some limitations for the New Zealand Defence Force … as to their ability to track someone’s travel.”
She said three New Zealanders had registered themselves as being in Ukraine with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She did not have details on what these New Zealanders were doing in Ukraine.
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