BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two U.S. veterans from Alabama who had been in Ukraine helping within the battle in opposition to Russia haven’t been heard from in days and are lacking, members of the state’s congressional delegation mentioned Wednesday.
Kin of Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, of Trinity and Alexander Drueke, 39, of Tuscaloosa have been involved with each Senate and Home workplaces looking for details about the lads’s whereabouts, press aides mentioned.
Rep. Robert Aderholt mentioned Huynh had volunteered to go combat with the Ukrainian military in opposition to Russia, however family members haven’t heard from him since June 8, when he was within the Kharkiv area of northeastern Ukraine, which is close to the Russian border. Huynh and Drueke had been collectively, an aide to Aderholt mentioned.
“As you’ll be able to think about, his family members are very involved about him,” Aderholt mentioned in an announcement. “My workplace has positioned inquires with each america Division of State and the Federal Bureau of Investigation making an attempt to get any data potential.”
Rep. Terri Sewell mentioned Drueke’s mom reached out to her workplace earlier this week after she misplaced contact together with her son.
Drueke is an Army veteran who served in Iraq, his mom Lois informed The Telegraph in London. She additionally informed The Telegraph that Drueke labored as a prime gunner in escort convoys by means of Baghdad — a job she mentioned brought on him to endure from PTSD, which made it troublesome for him to search out work.
In response to the report in The Telegraph, his mom mentioned Drueke noticed a possibility to place his army expertise to make use of when Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine.
The U.S. State Division mentioned it was trying into studies that Russian or Russian-backed separatist forces in Ukraine had captured at the least two Americans. If confirmed, they might be the primary Individuals combating for Ukraine identified to have been captured for the reason that battle started Feb. 24.
“We’re carefully monitoring the scenario and are involved with Ukrainian authorities,” the division mentioned in an announcement emailed to reporters. It declined additional remark, citing privateness concerns.
John Kirby, a nationwide safety spokesman on the White Home, mentioned Wednesday that the administration wasn’t capable of verify the studies about lacking Individuals.
“We’ll do the very best we are able to to observe this and see what we are able to find out about it,” he mentioned.
Nevertheless, he reiterated his warnings in opposition to Individuals going to Ukraine.
“Ukraine isn’t the place for Individuals to be touring,” he mentioned. “In case you really feel obsessed with supporting Ukraine, there’s any variety of methods to do this that which can be safer and simply as efficient.”
RELATED
A court docket in Donetsk, below separatist management, sentenced two Britons and a Moroccan man to loss of life final week.
Huynh’s fiancee, Pleasure Black, posted publicly on Fb that his household was involved with the Drueke household and authorities officers, and that nothing had been confirmed apart from that the 2 had been lacking.
“Please hold Andy, and Alex, and all of their family members in prayer. We simply need them to come back residence,” she wrote.
U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger tweeted that the Individuals “have enlisted within the Ukrainian military, and thus are afforded authorized combatant protections. As such, we anticipate members of the Legion to be handled in accordance with the Geneva conference.” It was unclear whether or not Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, had any additional details about the lads.
He was commenting on a tweet despatched earlier Wednesday by Activity Pressure Baguette, a gaggle of former U.S. and French servicemen, saying that two Individuals combating with them had been captured every week in the past. The group mentioned Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the knowledge.
Early within the battle, Ukraine created the Worldwide Legion for overseas residents who needed to assist defend in opposition to the Russian invasion.
Huynh spoke to his native newspaper, the Decatur Each day, shortly earlier than flying to Jap Europe in April.
He defined that he was finding out robotics at Calhoun Neighborhood School however couldn’t cease fascinated about Russia’s invasion.
“I do know it wasn’t my drawback, however there was that intestine feeling that I felt I needed to do one thing,” Huynh informed the Decatur Each day. “Two weeks after the battle started, it stored consuming me up inside and it simply felt incorrect. I used to be shedding sleep. … All I may take into consideration was the scenario in Ukraine.”
He mentioned he determined to fly out as soon as he discovered that younger Ukrainians had been being drafted into service.
“Proper after they turned 18, they had been compelled to enlist within the army to defend their homeland,” Huynh mentioned. “Truthfully, that broke my coronary heart. I might say that’s most likely the second the place I made a decision that I’ve to do one thing.”
In response to the newspaper, Huynh enlisted within the Marines when he was 19 and served for 4 years, although he didn’t see lively fight.
He was born and raised in Orange County, California, to Vietnamese immigrants and moved to northern Alabama two years in the past to be nearer to his fiancée, the newspaper reported.
Related Press writers Lynn Berry in Washington and Chris Megerian in Washington and Army Instances workers contributed to this report.
