[WATCH] Troops Perform Haka War Dance in Tribute to Fallen Kiwi Soldier in Ukraine

The farewell ceremony for Dominic Abelen, a soldier from New Zealand who fought for the International Legion under Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), took place in Kyiv on Tuesday, accompanied by a traditional Haka war dance by his comrades in his memory. 

Abelen was killed in action on Aug. 23, 2022, near Vuhledar, Donetsk region. His body was recovered recently and is set to be buried in his homeland.

He served with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) for 10 years before taking a period of leave without pay to fight for Ukraine against the Russian invasion. Abelen joined the ranks of the International Legion after arriving in Ukraine.

In mid-summer 2022, Abelen was deployed to the front lines, where he was assigned as a group commander. In August the same year, the 28-year-old soldier was killed in combat near Vuhledar.

Abelen’s farewell ceremony took place at Baikove Cemetery in Kyiv on Tuesday, March 11. A separate farewell ceremony will be held in New Zealand next week.

During the farewell ceremony, his comrades performed a traditional Haka war dance native to New Zealand, particularly the native Māori people, in honor of Abelen.

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His last battle

HUR representatives told Kyiv Post that during Abelen’s final combat mission, he took point during infiltration and led his squad forward. 

HUR said Abelen successfully maneuvered his unit to the bridgehead, where he was assigned to guide the machine gun team to a suitable firing position. HUR praised Abelen for allowing the machine gunners to provide lifesaving cover fire from their designated spot.

“Dominic and the squad continued infiltrating the enemy positions undetected and successfully managed to catch unsuspecting enemies by surprise. During the ensuing firefights, the squad split into fireteams to clear separate compartments of the hostile trench system,” said a HUR representative.

Abelen neutralized multiple Russian troops as his unit advanced. However, the squad had to withdraw while they still had ammunition after being outnumbered, during which Abelen’s actions played a critical role in ensuring the survival of his teammates, HUR said.

During the withdrawal, Russian gunfire fatally struck Abelen and critically wounded International Legion fighter Joshua Jones from the US. 

Abelen received the “Ukraine - Above All” award from HUR on Aug. 8, 2022 and another award “For Combat Merit” posthumously on Aug. 25, 2022, two days after he was killed in action.

Military career

Abelen enlisted in the New Zealand Army on March 7, 2012, as a private in the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. He was later appointed deputy section commander before his deployment to Iraq.

During the farewell ceremony, Abelen’s commanding officer in the NZDF, Maj. Alex Bowyer, also praised in his eulogy the valor and achievements of Abelen when he was under Bowyer’s command. 

Bowyer said Abelen quickly established himself as a leader, demonstrating exceptional talent and determination, which led to his promotion.

During Op Manawa, an NZDF Building Partner Capacity (BPC) mission in Iraq, Abelen served as a Force Protection Section 2IC. Abelen continued to study for an accounting degree during his deployment. For his deployment to Iraq, he was awarded the New Zealand Operational Service Medal and New Zealand General Service Medal (Iraq 2015).