Two volunteers, including British humanitarian and mine disposal expert Chris Garrett, died in an explosion near the eastern Ukrainian town of Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, the charity Prevail Humanitarian Aid confirmed on May 7.
Shaun Pinner, a former British soldier and Ukrainian marine, posted the news on X on behalf of the charity, where Garrett served as founder and chairman.
Prevail provides support to Ukrainian government agencies with landmine/unexploded ordnance clearance, trauma medical care, and humanitarian assistance.
"On May 6, Prevail received the devastating news that our Founder and Chairman, Chris Garrett alongside other team members were severely injured in an incident near Izium," Pinner wrote. "We are still gathering information and working alongside military and police officials to uncover the details."
In a follow-up message, Pinner confirmed that Garrett was among two individuals who had died from injuries sustained in the incident. "It has now been confirmed that two of the three critically injured individuals have sadly passed away. I can confirm that Chris was among those who died," he wrote.
Pinner said further updates would be provided as investigations proceed. "We can’t and will not comment during an ongoing investigation," the statement read.
Garrett, 40, from the Isle of Man, was widely known for his high-risk volunteer work removing mines and unexploded ordnance left behind by Russian forces. A former British Army recruit and tree surgeon, he began clearing landmines in Burma in 2014 before volunteering in Ukraine between 2014 and 2017. He later returned just days after Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.
In a 2022 interview with Radio Free Europe, Garrett described the dangers of his work around Kyiv. He warned of unexploded submunitions from cluster bombs, which can detonate with even the slightest touch.
Garrett's commitment to Ukraine earned him a note of thanks from the National Police of Ukraine. He was tried in absentia by a Russian-controlled court in Donetsk and sentenced to over 14 years in prison on terrorism charges, a verdict he called "a pathetic attempt to smear me by those who have murdered, raped and tortured thousands of civilians in Ukraine," Isle of Man Today reported.
In his final months, Garrett continued to document his work on social media, providing updates and educational content about mine clearance.
Natalia Yermak
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