Taiwanese combatant in Ukraine confirmed to have died in battle

Tseng Sheng-kuang (曾聖光), a 25-year-old Taiwanese man who enlisted in the International Legion of Ukraine’s territorial defense forces died in battle on Wednesday, November 2, it has been confirmed by the man’s family in Taiwan, and Ukrainian authorities, after reports began to circulate on social media platforms yesterday.

Tseng’s wife, Huang Li-chen (黃麗珍), told Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA) Friday evening that she received a message from her husband’s comrade that Tseng had died due to excessive blood loss after being seriously wounded on the battlefield in the contested Luhansk region.

Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian Congress and chairman of the Taiwan Friendship Group also confirmed the reports, saying that he and his colleagues are making arrangements to assist Tseng’s family to go to Ukraine.

Tseng, from the indigenous Amis ethnic group in Ji’an Township, Hualien, spent five years as a professional soldier in Taiwan’s ROC Army before being discharged last year. In June this year, Tseng enlisted in the International Legion of the Ukrainian defence forces, and joined an infantry unit of the Ukrainian Carpathian Sich Battalion in early September.

composite image showing ROC flag and Taiwanese volunteer Tseng in Ukraine
Tseng hung the ROC flag above his bed in the warzone near the city of Luhansk.
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3 thoughts on “Taiwanese combatant in Ukraine confirmed to have died in battle

  • November 5, 2022 at 12:58 pm
    Permalink

    Rest In Peace.
    But this conflict in Ukraine isn’t our fight.

    Reply
    • November 5, 2022 at 6:48 pm
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      You are absolutely right. As a general principle, we in our countries should steer clear. If we don’t and things go sour, we’ve no one to blame but ourselves. So home is always best.

      Reply
  • November 5, 2022 at 1:31 pm
    Permalink

    This must be one of the most unusual stories of the day. There is either an untold or unknown part of the story here and/or this man was working out some sort of karmic connection that we, and even his family, are not likely to know or have any way to find out. I was surprised to see that he belongs to the Amis people from Ji’an in Hualien. “Back in the day” (starting in 1964), I spent a lot of time with Amis friends there and loved riding my bike at night along the back roads lined with fragrant betel-nut trees. I hope his mission in life was somehow accomplished and offer condolences to his widow and family.

    Reply

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