Mon, Nov 04, 2024 page3

• Taiwanese soldier dies defending Ukraine’s freedom

  • Staff writer, with CNA
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  A Taiwanese volunteer soldier who was fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine to help defend the country against Russia’s invasion was recently killed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a ruling party lawmaker said yesterday.

  The ministry confirmed the Taiwanese’s death through the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine, deputy spokesman Hsiao Kuangwei (蕭光偉) said.

  Hsiao said they had contacted the soldier’s family in Taiwan and pledged to assist in dealing with matters related to his death.

  

  Taiwan Army Special Forces Command veteran Wu Chung-ta is pictured in an undated photograph.

  Photo: Taipei Times

  The family did not want his name to be revealed to the public and did not want to talk to the media, he said, calling on journalists to respect their wishes.

  However, local media have identified the deceased as 44-year-old Wu Chung-ta (吳忠達) from Kaohsiung, who was also a veteran from the Army Special Forces Command.

  Wu joined the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine last year, Chinese-language newspaper China Times reported.

  After serving in the unit for half a year, he joined Ukraine’s armed forces.

  He died from a Russian bombing in the Luhansk region on Saturday, the China Times reported.

  Wu is the second Taiwanese solider known to have died while fighting for Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in early 2022.

  Tseng Sheng-kuang (曾聖光), a 25-year-old member of the International Legion of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, was killed in action in November 2022.

  Wu’s death was first reported to Taipei-based Pastor Huang Chun-sheng (黃春生) by a group of Taiwanese fighting for Ukraine, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said yesterday.

  Shen, a member of the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee, said he contacted the ministry and Taiwan’s representative in Poland to ask them to confirm Wu’s death with Ukrainian authorities.

  A Ukrainian drone has identified the location of Wu’s body, but Ukrainian forces are unable to retrieve it given that the battle was still ongoing, Shen said.

  “We will make sure Wu’s remains are returned to his home in Taiwan, after his funeral and the related ceremonies are completed in Ukraine,” he said.

  There are still six Taiwanese nationals serving as volunteer combatants for Ukraine, sources told the China Times.

  After the news of Wu’s death, the Republic of China Marine Corps Retired Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) Association gave its condolences, saying that Taiwan had lost a true warrior.

  The association chairman Chao Wu-chang (趙武章) praised Wu for upholding the values of Taiwan’s military.

  Wu had trained with the International Legion before entering the conflict and had briefly returned to Taiwan this year to get treatment for injuries he sustained fighting Russia, Chao said.

  Before going back to Ukraine, Wu had visited the NCO association and shared his experiences in Ukraine, Chao added.

  Ukraine’s firepower was inferior to that of its enemy when the war broke out, which led the Ukrainian forces to fight in small units, he cited Wu as saying.

  Although small units meant more severe injuries and casualties, Wu persevered through the long conflict, he said.

  According to Chao, Wu told him that he was proud to have served as a soldier of the Republic of China.

  With Wu’s death, Taiwan has lost a true warrior, but his spirit inspires the members of the armed forces, Chao said.
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