Three Sri Lankans, including Ranish Hewage serving in the Ukraine Army killed in Russian attack

Three Sri Lankans including Captain Ranish Hewage, who were serving in the Ukraine military have been killed in a Russian military attack on Tuesday (December 05).

Captain Ranish Hewage was the commander of the First Special Forces of The International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine, or the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.

All the three deceased are former members of the Sri Lanka Armed forces.

Other two Sri Lankans died in the attack identified as M.M. Priyantha, a former petty officer of Sri Lanka Navy and Rodney Jayasinghe, a former member of the Sinha Regiment of Sri Lanka Army.

Reports said that Captain Hewage and his fellow two Sri Lankan former military personnel were killed in Bakhmut, a city in Ukraine during a rescue operation.

Captain Ranish Hewage is known among the Ukrainian soldiers as ‘Dentist’ because of his military skills on the battlefield.

Ranish Hewage retired in 2018 after serving as a captain in the 1st Commando Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army.

After leaving the army, he joined as an executive officer in a private company in Dubai.

Accordingly, in March 2022, he came to Ukraine from Dubai and joined the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine.

According to reports, the Ukrainian government is preparing to perform the final rites of Captain Hewage with full military honors.

The Ukrainian President had promoted Hewage to the rank of Commanding Officer of its First Special Force due to his outstanding performances on the battlefield.