The furious daughters of a Brit dad who reportedly died after being captured by Russian forces in Ukraine say they’ve been told they have to pay a whopping £10,000 to bring their dad’s body home.
British aid worker Paul Urey, 45, was captured along with another worker on April 25 at a checkpoint south of the city of Zaporizhzhia in south-eastern Ukraine.
Russian-backed forces would later claim that Mr Urey, who they referred to as a British “mercenary”, died in captivity on July 15.
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Now his daughters, Chelsea, 20, and Courtney Coman, 17, from Audenshaw, say the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have quoted them £10k to repatriate his body when it’s finally freed.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Chelsea said her dad’s body is yet to be released by Russian forces in the Donetsk region.
(Image: PA)
She said: “The Russians have not agreed to release his body yet but if and when they do we have to raise the money to bring him home ourselves
“We were told by the FCDO that to bring his body back would cost between £8,000 to £10,000.
“I am only 20 and my sister is 17 and still at college. We have no source of income that could pay near enough that amount. I am raising a daughter as well so it’s a lot of money to come up with.”
Tragically Chelsea said she and her sister were not aware that their dad had travelled to Ukraine, and only discovered he had been captured from news reports.
Chelsea says she and her family have also contacted the Russian embassy in London in the hope they might assist with negotiating a deal to have their dad’s body released.
“My only wish is to bring my father home and give him a burial and send him off here in the UK with people who love him and celebrate his life,” she said.
“Any donations no matter how small or large it may be will be much appreciated by me and my fathers family.”
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Daria Morozova, the human rights ombudsperson for the Moscow-backed separatist leadership, said Mr Urey had died of chronic illness and stress. “From our side, he was given the necessary medical assistance despite the grave crimes he committed,” she added.
Mr Urey, 45, was charged with “mercenary activities” by investigators in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), recognised only by Russia and Syria, in eastern Ukraine before his death, the Mirror reports.
Russian ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, was summoned to the Foreign Office to face questioning over what happened to Mr Urey, as The Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, demanded Moscow bears the ‘full responsibility ‘ for his death.
(Image: Wattie Cheung/REX/Shutterstock)
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “I am shocked to hear reports of the death of British aid worker Paul Urey while in the custody of a Russian proxy in Ukraine. Russia must bear the full responsibility for this.
“Paul Urey was captured while undertaking humanitarian work. He was in Ukraine to try and help the Ukrainian people in the face of the unprovoked Russian invasion. The Russian government and its proxies are continuing to commit atrocities. Those responsible will be held to accountable. My thoughts are with Mr Urey’s family and friends at this horrendous time.”
Courtney and Chelsea have now launched a Gofundme page to help try and raise the funds needed to bring their father’s body back to the UK.
They understand his body is still in the hold of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) in the Donbas region.
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