Gladstone man Caleb List feared dead in Ukraine after going to fight Russia

A Queenslander who joined the Ukrainian Army to fight against Russia is feared dead after he reportedly went missing a few weeks ago.

There are fears Caleb List has died in Ukraine after he was reported missing. Picture: Facebook

A Queenslander who joined the Ukranian Army to fight against Russia is feared dead after he reportedly went missing a few weeks ago.

Caleb List, from Gladstone, began fighting in the war in 2022 when he joined Ukraine’s foreign legion after he was rejected by the Australian Army.

It is understood Mr List went missing following fighting in the Kharkiv region last month.

Queenslander Caleb List is feared missing in Ukraine. Picture: Facebook

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said reports that Mr List had been killed in heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine are “deeply troubling”.

Mr List is believed to have been killed in the country’s contested Kharkiv region.

“My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the gentlemen concerned. DFAT are working in the way that they do to make sure the proper notifications are occurring,” Mr Albanese said in Perth.

Mr Albanese said Australians should not travel to Ukraine because it is too dangerous.

In an interview with German international public broadcaster Deutsche Welle last year, he said he always wanted to join the army and even though he initially planned to join the French Foreign Legion his plans changed when Russia invaded Ukraine.

“I wanted to test myself,” he told DW.

“I wanted to join the French Foreign Legion, I wanted to push myself to the extreme — so I came here with the same motivation, and I’ve basically done that and now I just do this because it’s the only thing I’m really good at.”

Queenslander Caleb List is feared missing in Ukraine. Picture: Facebook

In an interview with SBS in 2023 he spoke about what it was like being on the front line.

“The first time I seen the enemy was in a little village not far from here, they were escaping … I didn’t shoot at ‘em, my machine gun jammed three times,” he said.

“I’ve seen some of my friends die, I’ve seen them blown into pieces, I don’t know if it hits me properly.

Caleb List’s uncle, Michael Connolly, told 9News on Wednesday he remains hopeful his nephew will be found.

“Hopefully we’ll get some good news, it’s happened previously when we thought a soldier was killed or presumed missing, but he turned over as a prisoner of war,” he said.

Speaking to 7News, Mr Connolly said serving in the military had always been Mr List’s dream.

“His wanting to be a soldier probably outweighed his desire for anything else,” he said.

Reflecting on when he last saw his nephew six months ago, Mr Connolly said his nephew didn’t appear to be affected by the war.

“He was just Caleb. He was the Caleb we always knew. He wasn’t affected by the war zone, or if he was, he kept it to himself,” he said.

“I would like people not to judge him harshly because he didn’t go over there with an agenda. He went over there to help.”

The Deparment of Foreign and Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the families of Australians missing in Ukraine.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of people attempting to travel to fight in the war and a small number of Australians reported as missing or deceased in Ukraine,” a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said.

Originally published as Gladstone man Caleb List feared dead in Ukraine after going to fight Russia