Australian soldier in Ukraine accused of shooting British paratrooper and going on the run

An Australian man who allegedly shot dead a British soldier while they both fought Russian forces in Ukraine is being hunted by police. 

Abdelfetah ‘Adam’ Nourine, who offered his help to join the Ukrainian army in 2022, is now under suspicion for the death of his comrade Daniel Burke.

Mr Burke, 36, was reported missing in August 2023 and his remains were found the following month buried in an underground pipe near an abandoned training ground in Zaporizhzhia, around 45km away from the frontline in Ukraine.

A coroner’s inquest into Mr Burke’s death, held in the UK last week, found he had ‘died with bravery and valour and was sadly killed by cowardice and dishonour’.

The court found that Mr Burke was killed by someone he knew.

While the inquest did not name Mr Nourine, he is known to Greater Manchester Police who are investigating the death. 

He also reportedly told Ukrainian authorities he had killed Mr Burke by mistake when they were practicing drills.  

‘Whilst there was evidence initially presented that it was an accident, I reject that based on evidence gathered by Ukrainian authorities and Greater Manchester Police,’ the coroner said, reported the BBC.

Abdelfetah ‘Adam’ Nourine (pictured), who volunteered to fight for the Ukrainian army in 2022, has been named as a suspect in the killing of his fellow fighter Daniel Burke

Mr Burke (pictured), 36, was reported missing in August 2023 and his remains were found the following month buried in an underground pipe near an abandoned training ground in Zaporizhzhia, around 45km away from the frontline in Ukraine

‘[Mr Burke] was unarmed and unable to defend himself.’

Mr Nourine, who is known as ‘Jihadi Adam’, fled Ukraine soon after and his whereabouts are not known. 

Mr Burke, who previously fought against ISIS in Syria, had set up a company called Dark Angels.

It was formed of ex-military personnel who provide military, security and humanitarian assistance in war zones around the world.

On the day he went missing, 11 August, Mr Burke spoke to his family and had planned to FaceTime them later, the court heard.

CCTV showed him with Mr Nourine before the pair of them travelled to the abandoned training ground. 

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (right) and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) in Kyiv, 2022

Mr Burke (pictured), who previously fought against ISIS in Syria, had set up a company called Dark Angels

The inquest heard that Mr Nourine gave differing versions of events to police when he was interviewed after Mr Burke’s death.  

He claimed he had fired accidentally at Mr Burke, with the assault rifle going off in his hand.

But Mr Burke’s post-mortem showed he had been shot at least three times: once in the head, the neck and chest. 

A ballistics investigation carried out by Ukrainian authorities found it was impossible to accidentally discharge the weapon, the court heard.

The BBC reported that Ukrainian police sent a request for legal assistance to Australian authorities in February this year to help locate Mr Nourine but they did not receive any response. 

Mr Burke’s family are devastated by his death and are calling for justice.     

‘I don’t see why he [Mr Nourine] should have a normal life and just walk away and think it’s okay’, Mr Burke’s mother Diane Snaith told the BBC.

‘If he’s a trained soldier, he would not have let that gun fire. There is no way. And apparently, from what I’ve heard, it takes a lot to pull that trigger,’ she added.

Daily Mail Australia approached the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.