The two Americans John-Robert Drueke (39) and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh (27) were reported missing on June 9 after fighting north of Kharkiv. On Friday, short video clips of the two appeared on pro-Russian news channels. It was not clear who had captured them. On Monday, the Russian authorities released their version. Russia says it has captured Americans in Ukraine, reports the Russian news agency RIA. Russia: They are not soldiers The Kremlin claims the Americans were engaged in illegal activity. – One thing is clear: They committed crimes. They are not soldiers in the Ukrainian forces, so the Geneva Convention does not apply to them, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. The Geneva Convention is an agreement between all the states of the world and includes the protection of prisoners of war. According to Advocate General Sigrid Redse Johansen, those who act on behalf of a state are considered legal combatants. Among other things, they must wear uniforms like Ukrainian soldiers. Two Britons and a Moroccan have previously been sentenced to death by pro-Russian authorities in Donetsk. The court is not internationally recognized. The self-proclaimed leader Denis Pushilin has stated to the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta that prisoner exchanges are not relevant. The United States says it is working on the case The two Americans have been interviewed by Russia Today. news does not use quotes or pictures of this since they speak under duress. A State Department spokesman told CNN that they “have seen the pictures and videos of these two U.S. citizens allegedly captured by Russia’s military forces in Ukraine” and “are closely monitoring the situation.” The spokesman says they are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the families. He says they have no further comments on the cases due to privacy concerns. Missing A third man, Grady Kurpasi, has been missing since the end of April. Kurpasi served in the Navy for 20 years, and retired in 2021. CNN has spoken to a friend who says that Kurpasi chose to volunteer with Ukrainians in Ukraine, saying he did not envision fighting on the front lines. President Joe Biden said on Friday that he had been informed of three Americans missing in Ukraine after traveling there as foreign fighters. “We do not know where they are, but I wanted to emphasize: Americans should not go to Ukraine now,” Biden told CNN.
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American foreign fighters in Russian captivity – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
