8 December 2023 10:07 am Views - 786
The body of Sri Lankan-born Captain Ranish Hewage, who served as the Commander of the First Special Forces of the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine killed in a Russian military attack on Monday (4th), was found by the Ukrainian forces on Wednesday, according to official sources.
On Monday, three Sri Lankan nationals, including Captain Hewage, were killed in Bakhmut, a city in Ukraine, during a rescue operation. However, the bodies of the two other Sri Lankan nationals who were killed along with Captain Hewage are yet to be recovered.
The other two Sri Lankan nationals have been identified as M. M. Priyanthage, who had retired from the Sri Lanka Navy and Rodney Jayasinghe, who served in the Sri Lankan Army before joining the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.
These Sri Lankans were on a mission to recover several bodies of Ukrainian soldiers when they came under Russian artillery attack. Reports state that the body of Captain Hewage had been taken out to a location approximately 15 kilometres from the battlefield by another Sri Lankan national identified as L.K Hathurusinghe, who is also serving in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion. However, due to his injuries, he had to leave behind the body of his superior, Captain Hewage.
It has been reported that Hathurusinghe is currently receiving treatment in a military hospital in Ukraine.
Captain Hewage is known among the Ukrainian soldiers as ‘Dentist’ because of his military skills in the battlefield.
Ranish Hewage retired in 2018 after serving as a Captain in the 1st Commando Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. After leaving the Army, he joined as an executive officer in a private company in Dubai.
Accordingly, in March 2022, he came to Ukraine from Dubai and joined the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine.
Reports also stated that Captain Hewage was given a promotion by the Ukrainian President for his bravery in the battlefield.