{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/64d53bc8af8fd800117b9642/66c6e87e3c63f5ad7a3ea7b9?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Irish citizen serving in Ukraine missing and presumed dead","description":"<p>Alex Ryzhuk, a 20-year-old Republic of Ireland citizen born to Ukrainian parents, travelled to the country after turning 18.</p><p><br></p><p>According to reports, Ryzhuk had been serving as a volunteer in Eastern Ukraine when he was reported missing.</p><p><br></p><p>If confirmed dead, he would become the fourth Irish citizen to die fighting in Ukraine.</p><p><br></p><p>Ryzhuk had previously spoken of his intentions to return to Ireland and join the Defence Forces.</p><p><br></p><p>\"War is not a joke, death in war is a very high probability,\" he told RTÉ'.</p><p><br></p><p>\"It is something that constantly happens, even if it's not to you, it's to someone else, or to someone you know.</p><p><br></p><p>The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is aware of the case but refused to comment on Ryzuk’s disappearance.</p><p><br></p><p>“As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of individual cases,” the department said.</p><p><br></p><p>In January 2023, Brits Christopher Parry, 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, 47 – who also had New Zealand citizenship – were killed in eastern Ukraine while helping to evacuate civilians in the Donetsk region.</p><p><br></p><p>The pair had been attempting to evacuate an elderly woman from Soledar when their vehicle was hit by an artillery shell.</p><p><br></p><p>The bodies of the two men were handed over by the Russians as part of a prisoner of war exchange, according to a top Ukrainian official.</p><p><br></p><p>This week saw Ukraine launch one of the largest-ever drone attacks on Moscow.</p><p><br></p><p>Some 45 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight, Russia's Ministry of Defence said.</p><p><br></p><p>It said 11 were destroyed over the Moscow region, 23 over the Bryansk region, six over Belgorod, three over Kaluga and two over Kursk.</p><p><br></p><p>\"This was one of the biggest attempts of all time to attack Moscow using drones,\" Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on his Telegram channel.</p><p><br></p><p>He said all of the drones were destroyed because strong defences had been created around the capital.</p>","author_name":"Daily SumUp"}