29 Aug 2022

Prime Minister on recovering body of soldier killed in Ukraine

From Morning Report, 7:10 am on 29 August 2022

New Zealand soldier Corporal Dominic Abelen died fighting Russian forces while on leave without pay.

As of Friday, the government did not know where his body was, or if it would be possible to bring him home.

It's unknown how many members of the New Zealand Defence Force are currently in Ukraine, but Corporal Abelen's death poses a number of diplomatic challenges for the government.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke to Guyon Espiner.