The Kremlin stated the 2 males had been concerned in firing on Russian forces and needs to be “held answerable for the crimes they’ve dedicated.”
For his or her households, the excellent news is they’re alive. The dangerous information is they’re in Russian captivity.
Two U.S. army veterans taken prisoner whereas combating for Ukraine seem in a video airing on Russian TV, apparently within the custody of pro-Russian separatists. Within the audio, the 2 People, Alexander John-Robert Drueke and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh appeared to have spoken beneath duress.
Pundits on Russian state TV are speculating that the 2 troopers will get the dying penalty, saying “there aren’t any different choices” as a result of Russia considers international fighters to be mercenaries.
The boys’s households say the State Division is carefully monitoring the state of affairs.
“The State Division retains us knowledgeable all by way of the day,” stated Bunny Drueke, mom of Alexander John-Robert Drueke. “I’ve each confidence in that. As Coach Saban tells the Crimson Tide followers, belief the method, and that is what we’re doing.”
The 2 People had been captured whereas combating north of Kharkiv, with a unit of American and French fighters referred to as “Job Power Baguette.” On social media, the unit, which was connected to a Ukrainian army unit, says the boys had been captured when their “workforce ended up remoted in the course of a Russian offensive.”
Like most of the international items combating in Ukraine, Job Power Baguette posts on social media, together with a Tik Tok of their workforce set to music.
In different movies they’ve posted, the unit exhibits off their tools. A few of it’s donated, however others are normal Ukrainian and superior western weaponry.
Nonetheless, the uniforms are usually not standardized. The personnel carriers aren’t armored. They’ve repurposed pickup vans and SUVs, a few of them donated by volunteer organizations.
At the very least one of many males went to Ukraine not meaning to combat. Huynh’s fiance says when he went to Ukraine, his plan wasn’t to hitch a gaggle like Baguette.
“He didn’t go meaning to combat,” stated Pleasure Black, fiancé of Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh. “As soon as he had determined he was undoubtedly going to go, he simply knew that he wished to assist any manner that he might, whether or not it was humanitarian, passing out water, something like that.”
U.S. officers have have revealed a 3rd American, who additionally advised associates earlier than going to Ukraine that he didn’t plan to combat, is listed by the State Division as of April 28 as lacking in motion.
