A 23-year-old Irishman has been killed while fighting in Ukraine, his family has confirmed.
Rory Mason died as a Ukrainian armed forces serviceman while fighting in the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine near the Russian border.
The Mason family learned of Rory’s death from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is providing consular assistance.
His father Rob described him as a “private young man of drive, purpose, and conviction”.
He went on: “Though we are deeply saddened at his death, we are enormously proud of his courage and determination and his selflessness in immediately enlisting to support Ukraine.
“Rory was never political but he had a deep sense of right and wrong and an inability to turn the other way in the face of injustice.”
The International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine said that while conducting operations, Mr Mason’s unit came under attack.
A spokesman said in a statement: “Our brother in arms, Rory Mason, has taken part in the Kharkiv counteroffensive with his unit and was killed in action.
“Rory’s memory will live on in his unit, in the legion and the armed forces of Ukraine.”