Corporal Dominic Abelen, who was killed on the front line in Ukraine while on unpaid leave from the New Zealand Defence Force. Photo: Supplied / NZDF
The body of the first New Zealander killed in Ukraine nearly three years ago is finally being returned home.
Dominic Abelen was killed in August 2022 while fighting in the East of Ukraine on leave without pay from the Defence Force.
He was working to take over a Russian trench line in the Vuhledar region when he was wounded and died in battle.
The soldier's body ended up in Russian hands after his team came under intense fire while trying to retrieve him.
Today, he was finally returned to Ukraine where fellow soldiers and former members of his unit performed a haka before the body is repatriated from Kyiv to New Zealand.
His coffin was covered with both New Zealand and Ukrainian flag and he was presented with two medals, the GUR award "Ukraine above all", as well as the medal "For military merits".
The body was initially expected to be returned to Ukraine in October 2022 during a two hour ceasefire arranged for a handover.
But only the body of American, Joshua Jones was given back. He had died alongside Abelen.
It was unclear why the New Zealander was excluded from the exchange and kept at a mortuary in the Donetsk region.
RNZ understands there has been continued work from multiple agencies over the past 2.5 years to get the body returned.
Abelen operated under the callsign 'Tolkien' and arrived in Ukraine 2022 where he started with the GUR Legion as a military instructor before joining a combat unit as a machine gunner.
The Military Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine posted on Instagram "The Ukrainian nation will always remember the feat of the proud son of the Maori people - a true warrior, man, hero of Ukraine and New Zealand."
Abelen was a close friend of former NZDF soldier Kane Te Tai who was also killed in combat in March 2023.
The NZ Defence Force said it had not been involved in the repatriation of Abelen's body.
Abelen had served in the defence force for 10 years, including operational service in Iraq, but was on leave without pay at the time of his death.
The defence force did not know the soldier was in Ukraine at the time, or how many other New Zealanders might have been there while still active members.
It said it was in contact with the Abelen family and were ready to provide ceremonial support to a funeral which every veteran is entitled to.
"Corporal Abelen's death left a lasting impact on many of his comrades and friends within the New Zealand Army, and there is a huge sense of relief that he's on his way home, providing both his family and his Army whānau the opportunity for closure and a fitting farewell."
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he was aware Abelen would soon be returned to his family in New Zealand.
"We know that the repatriation of his remains is of utmost importance to his family, and this has been a long time coming. New Zealand consular officials have assisted at various points in the process.
"For privacy reasons we will not provide any further information."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
