Parents unite in grief over sons killed in Ukraine

The parents of two Cornish men killed by Russian forces in Ukraine have met for the first time ahead of the fourth anniversary of the conflict starting.

Rob and Christine are the parents of Chris Parry, a 28-year-old from Truro, who died while helping to evacuate a civilian Ukrainian woman from the front line in January 2023.

They met Steven Draper and Caroline Tindal, the parents of Callum Tindal-Draper, a 22-year-old from Gunnislake, who was killed on 5 November during an infantry mission.

All four parents agreed their sons had felt it important "to stand up to bullies and fight for what you believe in", with Mr Parry adding: "The boys would have got on like a house on fire."

Tuesday will mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US aimed at ending the war concluded on Wednesday without a breakthrough.

The four parents met in a cafe near Truro for the first time on 17 February to remember their sons and share their experiences.

Callum's mother Caroline said he had believed "everyone has to make a sacrifice because otherwise the world collapses".

"He was a very kind, caring and considerate young man who hated seeing people suffering," she said.

His father Steven said his son had always wanted to "stand up to the bullies".

"Callum couldn't bear the thought of no one doing anything to help" when the war began, he said.

"He wanted to know he's done something meaningful and purposeful with his life.

"Callum told us that he couldn't bear the thought of getting older, knowing that he just stood by and let this go on [the Russia-Ukraine war] and didn't get involved."

Rob Parry said he recognised that desire to help, saying: "It's the same as Chris - 'I've got to go, I've got to help them'."

"Chris stood up for what he believed in," he added.

Caroline told the Parrys: "I'd give anything for Callum not to have gone and I know you guys feel exactly the same way."

Christine said that was true, but they could not have stopped their son going.

"Chris was a very strong personality," she said. "He was so passionate, he had to do something."

During the time he spent in Ukraine, Chris helped to evacuate hundreds of civilians from the front line to safety.

Callum's parents were informed by the 4th International Legion their son had been killed in action while the foreign volunteer platoon he was a member of defended an observation point.

Steven said: "I remember having a conversation with him saying, 'Callum, it's Ukraine, is it our problem in the UK?'

"He said, 'Dad, it is because it's easy to think that's Ukraine but that front line there is the front line to all our freedoms.

"'It's the freedoms that our grandparents fought for, it's the freedoms which people from other countries came to the UK and to Europe's need back in World War Two'."

Steven reflected: "It's been really tough. The loss of a child, it opens a huge void in your life and it's a very dark space in that void.

"But we can see it through his lens, we knew why he was doing it," he added.

Four years on from the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, substantial distance still exists between Moscow's demands and what Kyiv might consider a "just peace".

An agreement about territory - without which no ceasefire can be envisaged - remains elusive, with Moscow and Kyiv's positions still far apart.

Steven said: "For Callum, his legacy is about how do we get true peace, at whatever level that is, whether it's personal peace or global peace."

Christine said: "I think with Chris, his legacy would be the same - to stand up to bullies, to fight for what you believe in and be an example to other young people."

Orson Tindal-Draper, one of Callum's three brothers, said the death had felt like "a cannonball through the chest" but "to try and honour him I try to be a bit of a better person every day".

Christine said it did not feel like the war had been going since 2022.

"It scares me to think it is four years and nothing's been resolved," she said.

Caroline responded: "That's the heartbreaking bit, isn't it?"

"We don't want Callum's or anyone's, volunteers or any that have fallen, [death] to be in vain," she added.

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