Sask. man killed on front line in Ukraine

[Pelican Press 0]

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Sask. man ******* on front line in Ukraine

A Saskatchewan man serving on the Ukrainian front line has been ******* by a Russian drone strike, his family says.

Winton “Bud” Hardy had been working in the Donetsk region as a combat medic for the past several weeks, his family said.

“My brother is a hero,” his brother, Will, said in an interview from his home in

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, Sask. “He is an inspiration to us all. His bravery and willingness to risk his own life, to help innocent people, is more than being a hero. It’s something special that needs to be remembered forever.”

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Will Hardy raised a Ukrainian flag with his ********* one in the front yard of his

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, Sask. home after ********* government officials told him his brother, Winton “Bud” Hardy had been ******* serving on the front lines in Ukraine.

Will Hardy raised a Ukrainian flag with his ********* one in the front yard of his

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, Sask. home after ********* government officials told him his brother, Winton ‘Bud’ Hardy had been ******* serving on the front lines in Ukraine. (Jason Warick/CBC)

Will said the family has been grieving since the news came from ********* government officials, but he couldn’t be more proud.

“My brother, he was a man of high standards who always wanted to do what was right.… He was a great person to be around, loved by everyone in the family and community,” Will said.

In early spring, Bud told his family he wanted to help liberate Ukraine. Will said his brother had trained in the military cadets as a young man, but their family doesn’t have any Ukrainian heritage.

“Naturally, as the younger brother, I thought he was joking. But slowly, over time, he saved his own money and started purchasing his own equipment. It became clear to me he was serious,” Will said.

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Will Hardy, left, drops his brother Winton oat the Saskatoon airport in April on his way to serve on the Ukrainian front lines. Winton, also known as “bud” was ******* in June by a Russian drone strike.

Will Hardy, left, drops his brother Winton off at the Saskatoon airport in April on his way to serve on the Ukrainian front lines. (Submitted by Will Hardy)

Bud flew to Poland in April. After basic training, the 41-year-old was sent to the front lines to serve as a combat medic.

“He saw what was happening in Ukraine and knew in his heart what was happening was wrong — what’s happening to the innocent people in Ukraine is wrong. He wanted to defend the people of Ukraine any way he could,” Will said.

Will said he and Bud were in contact daily until June 10. The next day, Will got a phone call from a ********* government official.

“It’s my understanding he was taking heavy ****** *****, along with another *********, They were retreating and ultimately got stuck by a drone,” he said.

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Will Hardy says he and his brother, Wilfred (blue shirt) were “inseparable.” Wilfred, also known as “Bud,” was ******* June 10 on the Ukrainian front lines by a Russian drone.

Will Hardy says he and his brother, Wilfred, pictured in the blue shirt, were ‘inseparable.’ Wilfred, also known as ‘Bud,’ was ******* by a Russian drone on June 10 on the Ukrainian front line. (Jason Warick/CBC)

Will was told that the ***** released by the Russian drone ******* Bud and the other ********* instantly. When Will got the news, he went out into their

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yard and raised a Ukrainian flag alonside their ********* one.

Will said Bud’s body is now in Russian territory, but there’s an organization in the region trying to help retrieve the body for them.

The Hardy family is hoping to hold a memorial service in the coming weeks.

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#Sask #man #******* #front #line #Ukraine

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