The Defence Force does not know how many serving New Zealand soldiers may be fighting in Ukraine, without permission.
Corporal Dominic Abelen, 28, was confirmed killed on the frontline in Ukraine on Wednesday evening. The Defence Force on Thursday said Abelen was a soldier of 10-years, on unpaid leave from the army.
Abelen had not informed his commanding officers of his intention to travel to Ukraine. The Defence Force requires serving soldier intending to travel to Ukraine, even when on leave, to seek approval.
“It is not known how many NZDF personnel on leave without pay may be in Ukraine. No personnel have been approved by NZDF to enter the country,” it said in a statement.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the solider’s death was “devastating” and a “deep tragedy for a Kiwi family”.
She said there were no actively serving military personnel in Ukraine, but the Government “cannot and do not clearly know the number of New Zealanders that have chosen to travel to Ukraine”.
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said Abelen wasn’t participating in the war as a representative of New Zealand, as he was not on active duty and made a private decision to travel to Ukraine.
"We have to be really clear that this is a person who took leave. They were not representing New Zealand, they were not representing the New Zealand Defence Force.
“Sadly, that life has been lost. We will do everything that New Zealanders would expect us to do as a family, work with the Ukrainian government, to bring the citizen home.”
There are a number of known New Zealanders contributing to Ukraine's war effort, but little is known about any on the frontline.
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Aaron Wood, spokesperson for veterans’ trust No Duff, on Wednesday said he was connected to a network of about 100 former or current soldiers in Ukraine, of which those on the frontline numbered in the tens.
He said Abelen was fighting under the Ukrainian flag, and was not a “mercenary”.
“If he wanted to be a mercenary, he can make far more money for far less risk in other places.
“He was properly on the front line, doing it for the right reasons ... By all accounts, he went out hard. He fought to the end.”
The Defence Force said it did not track former personnel, and it did not know how many former soldiers might be in Ukraine.
No actively serving soldiers had entered Ukraine since the conflict began, and Abelen was not part of the deployments sent to Europe to assist the Ukraine war effort from outside the country.
Soldiers that were on unpaid leave were still considered serving soldiers, but could “pursue other employment opportunities during this time and travel”. While on leave, they were required to notify their superiors of their travel plans, however they did not have to “check in routinely”.
“The NZDF is still inquiring into the circumstances of this particular case. Corporal Abelen’s leave request did not include plans to travel to Ukraine,” the Defence Force said.
Defence Minister Peeni Henare said on Thursday he had not instructed the Defence Force to “check in” with soldiers on leave without pay to confirm whether they had entered Ukraine, as this would not be straightforward.
He said he would support defence doing so, if it chose to.
"The entire situation is a complicated one. With respect to the way leave is administered through the New Zealand Defence Force, I'm completely satisfied with that process.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Travel has warned New Zealanders against travelling to Ukraine, listing it under “do not travel” on the Safetravel website.
Mahuta said the ministry was offering Abelen’s family consular support from Warsaw.
"The travel advisory has not changed, and we are not advising New Zealanders to go to Ukraine,” she said.
