Memorial Service Held for Taiwanese Volunteer Who Died Fighting in Ukraine

TaiwanPlus News

A memorial service has been held in Taipei for a Taiwanese volunteer who died fighting on the front lines in Ukraine. Wu Chung-ta is the second volunteer from Taiwan to lose his life fighting for Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022.

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00:00Here at this church in Taipei, a memorial has been held for a Taiwanese volunteer soldier

00:07who died while fighting Russian forces in Ukraine.

00:1044-year-old Wu Zhongda was a retired veteran of Taiwan's Army Special Forces Command.

00:15Another Taiwanese volunteer who served with him told local media he died during a heavy

00:20shelling by Russia.

00:22At least 40 people have shown up to mourn his death.

00:25They lined up one by one to place flowers under a photo of Wu.

00:29And those who knew Wu shared memories of him, and also told of why he chose to go to Ukraine.

00:50People here told us this was Wu's second time in Ukraine.

00:53Nancy Shi, who spent time volunteering for war efforts in Ukraine and supported Wu on

00:58his mission there, remembers one of her last interactions with him.

01:02When we were lining up to buy bubble tea, I took a photo of Wu.

01:06I said, I'm at the bubble tea shop.

01:09Ada said, I'll buy you a drink.

01:11I said, OK, Ada will be back soon.

01:13Let's go get something to eat.

01:16Ada, this is bubble tea.

01:18I went to help Wu the day before yesterday.

01:21And I want to buy you a drink.

01:23I know you can't drink it.

01:25I'll help you with this one.

01:26Shi says one of Wu's teammates called her to tell her about his death.

01:31He told her Wu had been hit by a bomb.

01:33But they were under such strong attack, the team had to leave.

01:49Around 40 people showed up to this church to mourn his death.

01:53Wu is the second Taiwanese soldier known to have died fighting in Ukraine.

01:57In 2022, a 25-year-old soldier named Zheng Shengguang was killed in battle.

02:03Ukraine's fight against Russia has resonated with many in Taiwan,

02:06as the country faces its own existential threat from an authoritarian neighbor.

02:11China claims Taiwan and has threatened to take it by force if necessary.

02:15A small number of Taiwanese people have gone to Ukraine to fight,

02:19though it's not known exactly how many.

02:21Now people gather here to honor one of the fallen and

02:24what they say was his fight for freedom.

02:27Joseph Wu and Keynes Coranta for Taiwan Plus.

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