The body of one of the three Sri Lankans, who were killed on the battlefield in a Russian artillery attack on Ukraine, has been recovered.

An official of the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine (Ukrainian Foreign Legion) has confirmed that the body of Captain Ranish Hewage, a former Sri Lankan Army officer, was recovered on Wednesday (Dec.06).

Hewage had joined the Ukrainian Foreign Legion as a volunteer and was serving as a Commanding Officer of its First Special Force.

According to reports, the body had been retrieved by another former Sri Lankan army officer named L.K. Hathurusinghe, who was Hewage’s second in command fighting in the battlefront with the Ukrainian defence forces.

Meanwhile, two other Sri Lankan mercenaries are also said to have died in Russian attacks on Ukraine. However, the remains of M.M. Priyantha, a former petty officer of Sri Lanka Navy and Rodney Jayasinghe, a former member of the Sinha Regiment of Sri Lanka Army, are yet to be recovered.

According to reports, the Ukrainian government is preparing to perform the final rites of Captain Hewage with full military honours.

Ukrainian President had promoted Hewage to the rank of Commanding Officer of its First Special Force due to his outstanding performances on the battlefield.

The Ukrainian Foreign Legion is a foreign military unit of the Ground Forces of Ukraine formed in February 2022 by the Ukrainian government at the request of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in response to the Russian invasion.