Former British soldier shot dead in Ukraine by man who claimed to be his friend, inquest told
by James Spry · LBCBy James Spry
Daniel Burke was killed by a "comrade" while in Ukraine to give medical assistance on the frontline.
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A former soldier from Manchester who travelled to Ukraine to give medical assistance was unlawfully killed by someone who claimed to be his friend, an inquest has found.
Daniel Burke, 36, went missing in August 2023 while staying in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, the hearing at Manchester Coroner's Court on Friday was told.
A suspect, who was not named in the hearing but is known to Greater Manchester Police as Nourine Abdelfetah, led Ukranian authorities to Burke's body in September 2023, claiming he shot him by accident.
The coroner told the inquiry: “Daniel died with bravery and valour and yet sadly and tragically was killed by cowardice and dishonour.”
In a statement read out by Greater Manchester Police, Mr Burke's family said they are 'still yearning for answers' about what happened to him.
"As a family, we cannot do this alone," they said.
"We are hopeful that the Ukraine authorities will progress the investigation into Daniel's death, and we hope one day we will be able to say that we have justice for Daniel."
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Detective Sergeant Danielle Bullivant told the court Mr Burke had set up the company Dark Angels, a group of military personnel who went to the frontline to evacuate the injured, the inquest was told.
She said the suspect had been working with Mr Burke in Ukraine, where they were “comrades”. The suspect was known by the nickname “Jihadi Adam”.
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On August 11, Mr Burke spoke to his family in the morning and planned to contact them over Facetime later that day, Ms Bullivant told the inquest.
CCTV showed him spending the day with the suspect, and in the late afternoon travelling to an abandoned training ground.
In the investigation that followed Mr Burke's disappearance, the suspect led police to Mr Burke’s body and told them he had accidentally killed him during a training exercise.
He claimed he had fired at least two shots – one accidentally while he was carrying Mr Burke in a training exercise and a second for reasons unknown.
But the court heard a forensic post-mortem found Mr Burke had been shot at least three times – in his head, lower neck and central chest.
Ms Bullivant said results of ballistics investigations done in Ukraine suggested it was impossible to accidentally fire the weapon, an AKS74U.
It comes after Jordan Chadwick - a 31-year-old Scots Guard veteran from Burnley - was found dead in water with his hands tied behind his back near the eastern city of Bakhmut. The cases have not been linked.
In Chadwick's case, there have been claims he might have been shot as part of a petty argument or as part of a military initiation event that went wrong.
There are fears that the vetting of foreign fighters is poor, allowing questionable individuals to join the ranks of troops who have bravely committed themselves to defending a free Ukraine.