Three Sri Lankans, including a retired Sri Lankan Army officer, named Sylvester Andrew Ranish Hewage, have been killed while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russian attacks. The Sri Lankan Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, confirmed the deaths and identified Captain Ranish as a volunteer Ukrainian soldier who succumbed to a Russian artillery attack on December 4.
He was part of the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine, serving as a Commander attached to the First Special Force.
The Sri Lanka Army spokesman emphasized that the country and its military have no connection with former officers serving in other countries, considering them as mercenaries. Captain Ranish had served in the Sri Lanka Light Infantry for 12 years before legally leaving the Sri Lanka Army in September 2022.