The loss of three Sri Lankans, including a retired Army officer, in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been revealed by diplomatic sources, shedding light on their involvement in the fight against Russian attacks.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, confirmed the deaths of three individuals, notably highlighting the demise of Sylvester Andrew Ranish Hewage, a former Sri Lankan military officer who had volunteered as a soldier in Ukraine. Known as "Captain Dentist," he fell victim to a Russian artillery attack on December 4. Ranish had served as a Commander with the First Special Force of the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine and was a registered military professional in Ukraine.
The International Volunteers of Ukraine corroborated Captain Ranish's death on the battlefield and announced plans for a memorial in his honor.
Addressing this involvement of ex-military personnel in foreign forces, Sri Lanka Army Spokesman and Director of Media, Brigadier Ravi Herath, clarified to IANS that the Sri Lankan military and country disassociate themselves from former officers engaging in conflicts for other nations. He labeled such individuals as mercenaries, emphasizing that there is no official connection between them and Sri Lanka's armed forces, a perspective he indicated Russia acknowledges.
Brigadier Herath reinforced that the Sri Lankan military discourages ex-military individuals from serving any other country, except in authorized cases like UN Peacekeeping forces or legal military services.
Meanwhile, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev's visit to Sri Lanka for security consultations comes amid this context. Patrushev's discussions about the Asia Pacific Regions with Myanmar's Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister preceded his arrival in Colombo on Wednesday.
Sources from the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry noted that Ranish Hewage had served the Sri Lanka Light Infantry for 12 years before legally leaving the Sri Lanka Army in September 2022 as a lieutenant. Post-military service, he pursued employment in a technology company in Dubai. Additionally, Ranish's immediate family—his mother, brother, and sister—reside in Ukraine, a detail confirmed by Embassy officials.
(With Agency Inputs)
