For the first time since the war outbreak in Ukraine, a Dutch volunteer has been killed. Ron Vogelaar (55) died on May 4, after being hit by artillery fire near Kharkiv.
Another Dutch volunteer from Vogelaar’s unit said he died immediately after the shelling, writes De Telegraaf.
Vogelaar’s family have been informed of his passing and confirmed the event to the Dutch newspaper.
His daughter posted on social media: “He has never regretted his decision. He was happy and he felt he was in the right place. His commander said, ‘He died a hero’.”
Meanwhile, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign affairs has not yet confirmed Vogelaar’s death. A spokesperson told RTL Nieuws: “We need to get a formal death certificate first and a statement of identity from the authorities there. We are doing our best to get confirmation, but we haven’t been able to do that yet.”
In mid-March, more than 70 Dutch people were fighting on Ukrainian soil. However, it is now unclear how many Dutch people are currently part of the Foreign Legion in Ukraine.
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