Spanish and Canadian volunteers killed in Donbas by Russian shelling

Two foreign volunteers – citizens of Spain and Canada – were killed in Donbas due to the shelling of a humanitarian convoy of the Road to Relief volunteer NGO.

The organisation confirmed this sad news on its Instagram page on 10 September. 

According to the report, Spanish citizen Emma Igual and Canadian Anthony Ihnat are the victims.

Photo: Emma Higual helps civilians in Siversk, 9 May 2022. Photo credit: @Road2Relief.

It is reported that the day before, four members of the humanitarian NGO Road to Relief team had travelled from Sloviansk towards the Bakhmut area to assess the needs of civilians in the nearby villages in the Ukraine-controlled zone close to the frontline.

After the volunteers had passed Chasiv Yar, their car came under fire from Russian troops. The vehicle overturned and caught fire. In addition to the deceased Emma Igual and Anthony Ihnat, the car also carried German volunteer medic Ruben Mawick and Swedish volunteer Johan Mathias Thyr.

According to El Pais, Anthony Ignat died on the spot, and the Spanish Foreign Ministry later confirmed the death of Emma Iguazúl. The volunteers from Germany and Sweden suffered severe injuries and burns, but their condition is stable.

According to Reuters, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares announced the death of a Spanish citizen at the G20 summit.

“Unfortunately, I can confirm that the missile hit a car carrying a Spanish citizen who was working for a humanitarian NGO in Ukraine. We have verbal confirmation of her death,” Albares said. He did not name the deceased.

The Russian side did not comment on the reports.

According to the Road to Relief website, the organisation evacuates civilians in Donbas. Earlier, it helped civilians in the Kherson region.

According to Road to Relief’s reports, the organisation has evacuated civilians in Donbas since April last year. Volunteers helped rescue civilians from Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk and Bakhmut. The organisation has also been helping civilians in the Kherson region for some time.