MFAT has confirmed that Kiwi soldier Kane Te Tai has died on Ukraine's front lines.
Kane Te Tai, 38, also known as "Turtle", had been on the frontlines in Ukraine for several months, often posting on social media about his work.
Aaron Wood, a close friend of the 38-year-old, told Newshub Late on Tuesday Te Tai always wore his heart on his sleeve.
"He's got a big heart to help people and he saw a situation in Ukraine that he felt he could apply his skills, his knowledge and his experience to, and he went and did so."
No Duff Charitable Trust, which Te Tai co-founded, posted a heartfelt message on Facebook on Tuesday evening after news broke of the apparent death.
"Kane had a huge heart and loved helping people. His loss leaves a huge hole in many lives from here to Eastern Europe. We will ensure his legacy through No Duff lives on," the post said.
A Givealittle page has been created to cover the cost of bringing Te Tai's body home.
The New Zealand Embassy in Warsaw is in contact with Ukrainian authorities to confirm further details.
