Queensland man who joined Russian army missing and feared dead

A Queensland security guard who travelled to Russia to join its war against Ukraine is missing and feared dead. Daryl Fladung's mother says she has not heard from her 38-year-old son since late June. Claims online that he was killed in a drone strike have not been independently verified.

Fladung travelled to Moscow in April and signed a Russian military contract. His public posts described training, injuries and his subsequent deployment towards the front line. He had no previous military experience, according to reporting on his case.

His final public messages in June described pain, exhaustion and difficulty moving across exposed ground. His account has been inactive since June 20. Those posts provide a record of his concerns but do not establish what happened after contact stopped.

His mother believes an online contact encouraged him to travel while he was living in rural Queensland. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not confirm whether it held information about his disappearance. It reiterated advice against travel to Russia or Ukraine because of the war. His family continues to seek reliable information about whether he is alive.