British aid worker Chris Barry, who died in Ukraine, may have been killed by Wagner Group mercenaries in a possible “war crime”, an investigation has said.
Barry, 28, disappeared with his British compatriot Andrew Bagshaw near Solidar on the hotly contested eastern front line in January 2023.
At the time of their deaths, the British Foreign Office insisted they had been killed by an artillery shell.
But an inquest held by Mr Barry in Oxford today concluded that he died from injuries to the head and torso.
His family there said The “dark truth” may be behind his death.
The coroner did not go so far as to specifically blame him Wagner GroupBut the investigation heard evidence indicating their possible involvement.
Photo: Chris Barry
Coroner Darren Salter ruled his death an unlawful homicide.
He added: “It seems to me that given the circumstances, given the cause of death, he was unlawfully killed while carrying out humanitarian work.”
While he stressed that it was not the purpose of the investigation to comment on such cases, he added: “What I can say is that the circumstances point to a war crime.”
Chris Barry pictured in Ukraine
In a statement read by the coroner, his mother, Christine Barry, said: “He was particularly proud of all the children he saved.”
“We are devastated. We will never get over this, we will always remember it.”
She said that as a family they want to continue the humanitarian work that her son started.
She added: “Ukraine will remain in our hearts forever.”
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