The family of a British aid volunteer reportedly killed in a drone strike in Ukraine has expressed disappointment with the Foreign Office’s reaction. Annie Lewis Marffy, 69, from Silverton, Devon, travelled to Ukraine in late May to deliver supplies to the contested Donbas region. She was working with the non-profit organisation Aid Ukraine UK.
According to a police file, Lewis Marffy sustained “injuries incompatible with life” in a Russian drone strike on 11 June near Kramatorsk. Her body remains in an area of active hostilities, making recovery impossible. The family has requested a death certificate to begin the probate process and grieve properly, but they face delays.
Katarzyna Bylok, founder of Aid Ukraine UK, described the situation as a “red-tape limbo”. She noted that issuing a death certificate could take months or years due to the inability to recover remains. The family said they have received no report from Ukrainian police and criticised the lack of response from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Lewis Marffy travelled through Europe in convoy with a former soldier from Wales, who had to return to the UK due to illness. Despite suggestions to hand over the vehicle in Lviv, she insisted on completing her mission to deliver supplies to Ukrainian forces in Kramatorsk. She was last heard from on 10 June, 55 minutes from her destination.
An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Ukraine and are in contact with the local authorities.” The family remains desperate for information, as her sons have been told their mother is missing, presumed dead.
