Johnny Money’s “Ring of Hearth” performed by means of the audio system on the automobile that dropped Alex Drueke off on the bus switch station. It wasn’t the all-too-familiar model, however a Ukrainian rendition.
It was round Easter Sunday, and Drueke, then 39, was switching modes of transportation for the final leg of a journey in western Ukraine as a struggle was raging. He was removed from his house in Alabama.
The bus was scorching and stuffy, and the rumble of the previous diesel engine threatened to drown out any dialog. The springs groaned below the load of the 12-year Army veteran, a number of dozen different males clad in armor and equipment, and a load of kit.
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Inside hours of stepping off that bus in western Ukraine, Drueke would meet Andy Huynh, a Marine Corps veteran who had additionally journeyed from Alabama. The 2 Individuals had been among the many international fighters drawn to the nation to face facet by facet with Ukrainians of their underdog struggle in opposition to Russia and its brutal invasion that started in February.
Huynh, 27, had by no means deployed throughout his navy service. He left his fiancee’s house within the U.S. on April 8 after being related with a pastor in Ukraine, in keeping with members of the family.
The fates of the 2 veterans could be tied collectively as they sought out a struggle that the world has condemned and the U.S. has refused to enter. It’s a saga that finally led Drueke and Huynh to a tiny village close to Kharkiv in jap Ukraine, a stone’s throw from the border with Russia. There, simply wanting two months after assembly, they might turn into the primary Individuals to be captured in the course of the struggle.
“Per week in the past, our group ended up remoted in the course of a Russian offensive,” the boys’s unit — a kind of militia sanctioned by the Ukrainian authorities — later posted in a June 15 tweet that notified the world of their seize.
Drueke and Huynh are actually being held by the Russian-backed Donetsk Individuals’s Republic, a separatist group combating the Ukrainian authorities within the west, with their final destiny unknown. The group handed down dying sentences earlier this yr for 2 British males captured whereas combating for Ukraine, and Russian state media has hinted on the dying penalty for the 2 Individuals.
In an effort to hint the journey Drueke and Huynh took from their houses to Ukraine, Kharkiv and, finally, into the palms of the separatists, Army.com spoke with greater than a dozen individuals, together with volunteers in Ukraine, international legion officers, family and friends members.
What emerges is an typically murky story crammed with colourful characters, battle, secrecy and unclear motivations, all set in a struggle zone the place information are scarce.
Whereas in Ukraine, the 2 males moved between not less than three completely different items, together with an organization with the Ukrainian Overseas Legion, a daily Ukrainian military unit, and eventually Job Drive Baguette, which is a bunch of American and French fighters that seemed to be sanctioned by Ukraine’s ministry of protection. That is their story.
‘I Ought to Do This’
Alex Drueke’s final message to his mother earlier than his seize did not strike her as odd or out of the odd. The textual content on June 8 mentioned he’d be “going darkish” for a day or two.
Earlier than leaving for Ukraine, Alex warned that he may at occasions be offline for just a few days however could be again in contact. It was the sort of assurance meant to calm the anxiousness and spinning creativeness of a mum or dad whose baby was heading into a rustic below siege.
“I wasn’t unduly alarmed,” Bunny Drueke instructed Army.com. “I mentioned a fast prayer for his security and went on about my enterprise.”
Bunny was used to — as a lot as a mom will be — seeing her son in hurt’s means. He had been fueled by a stressed craving to serve and belong that had performed out over the earlier 20 years.
Twenty years in the past, Drueke tried to direct his methodical and rational nature, together with a fiery will his mom lovingly labels stubbornness, right into a profession with the Army. He joined a yr after the terrorist assaults in 2001. Bunny mentioned he had wished to enlist since he was a toddler, however 9/11 pushed him into uniform.
By 2004, the 22-year-old Drueke discovered himself deploying for the primary time, headed to Kuwait.
Josh Meeker, an enlisted soldier on the time and good friend of Drueke, instructed Army.com he remembered the younger service member as a very good man who dealt with his enterprise professionally. He characterised the deployment as comparatively uneventful.
“However his second deployment,” Meeker mentioned, “could also be one other story.”
One thing modified after that subsequent deployment to Iraq in 2008.
“Alex didn’t reenlist after his second tour,” his mom instructed Army.com in June. “He got here house with extreme [post-traumatic stress disorder], and he has been looking for a goal in life.”
It’s unclear whether or not the PTSD was the results of fight. His mom mentioned Drueke obtained the medical prognosis a pair years in the past as he was getting therapy from Division of Veterans Affairs psychological well being amenities. He doesn’t seem to have earned a Fight Motion Badge, a commendation awarded to non-infantry troopers who interact or are engaged by the enemy in direct fight, primarily based on the gathering of honors that seem on his uniform in his service picture.
Bunny described his job on that second tour as “the lead gunner there in Baghdad, so he was up within the turret on excessive alert, looking ahead to potential hazard and having to resolve in a break up second who was harmful and who was protected.”
“That simply took a toll on him,” she continued. “He has not been capable of come off of that top alert.”
It was clear to Alex’s household that he was performed with the Army after Iraq, however not essentially a uniform or the aim that got here with it.
He floated by means of a string of jobs after the navy — a quick stint in regulation enforcement, some gross sales gigs. His Army family and friends seen he went on practically fixed outside journeys accompanied by his canine, Diesel.
That’s, till January, when rumblings of a Russian invasion hung over Ukraine, permeated western media, and caught Drueke’s consideration. By the tip of February, the rumblings had turned to artillery blasts within the capital Kyiv.
Inside days of the invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a name to international nationals — “buddies of peace and democracy,” as he put it — to hitch the struggle in opposition to the Russian invasion. The nation would arrange a international legion to construction the brand new drive of 1000’s volunteering to assist counter Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Drueke left for Ukraine in mid-April, in keeping with his household, rapidly making his means into the nation. His mom attributes the choice to a lifelong want to do good. His comrades-in-arms see it as a bookend to Drueke’s American navy service — practice others, struggle, belong.
“Typically, while you come house, there is a feeling you possibly can by no means discover within the civilian world that you simply discovered within the camaraderie you had while you’re deployed or while you’re within the navy basically,” mentioned Dylan Hardwick, who served with Drueke in Kuwait. “And that is one thing I feel lots of people that had been former service members struggled to all the time discover within the civilian world.”
Quickly after arriving within the nation, Drueke and a brand new comrade, Thomas Alva, had been sitting on racks throughout from one another in a basement someplace in western Ukraine, ready for his or her subsequent directions.
“We each mentioned, ‘Yeah, you recognize, we had the talents, we had the mindset, we did not have any attachments’ … and he mentioned, ‘I used to be simply sort of sitting there with the canine and mentioned, I can do that,'” Alva recalled.
“And finally that grew to become ‘I ought to do that.’”
“It sort of felt like we stop the providers. … We may have performed extra, we should not have left. … It was like a web page unturned,” Alva mentioned.
Inside Ukraine, Contained in the Legion
Alva was within the automobile with Drueke because the Johnny Money tune performed over the stereo.
He was identified to the boys by the decision signal “Vader.” He was one of many first individuals Drueke met in Ukraine. Many fighters there select to go by a nom de guerre, typically meant to venture a picture of badassery and assist with operational safety.
In an interview with Army.com, Alva mentioned that he first noticed Drueke on the afternoon of April 19 at an Worldwide Legion processing location in Ukraine, simply on the opposite facet of the Polish border. In accordance with him, the 2 males got here in from completely different elements of Poland however ended up on the similar place and rapidly grew to become buddies.
“We had been the one two Individuals there on the time. … We found that we had lots in frequent,” Alva recalled. “We had been each older, single, no youngsters, no household. We each had canines … and each of our moms had been caring for canines.”
Alva served nearly 15 years within the navy, largely as an active-duty Marine, however he left as a petty officer firstclass within the Navy Reserve, in keeping with paperwork supplied to Army.com.
As they rode collectively within the automobile, they had been sure for one more Legion location in western Ukraine.
The pair would meet two extra international fighters there: “Angel” and “Pip.” Army.com will confer with them solely by their name indicators as each males are nonetheless within the nation and concern being focused by Russian forces.
Angel, a Canadian from Saskatchewan who’s a Marine Corps veteran, mentioned that “inside a couple of minutes we had been laughing and telling jokes.” Pip was extra of a thriller.
“We had been all troopers in our hearts and wished to proceed to serve and struggle for the survival of the free world,” Angel defined.
Drueke shared tales of house, his mom and his niece, whereas Angel talked in regards to the spouse and two youngsters he left at house. In the meantime, in keeping with Angel, Pip and Alva defined that they had been each single, which made their choices to hitch the struggle slightly less complicated.
As soon as the bus bought to one more Worldwide Legion location, the 4 males met Huynh, finishing the group. The Marine veteran who now shares Drueke’s destiny as a captive had taken his personal path into the nation earlier than ending up in 1st Battalion, Charlie Firm — the unit of the Legion all 5 would be part of for a quick time frame.
After his stint within the Marines, Huynh had moved to Alabama to be nearer to a lady he’d met on-line whereas serving, Pleasure Black, who was ending highschool. Huynh slept on Black’s brother’s sofa whereas she lived subsequent door.
Huynh had taken an hourly job as a neighborhood supply driver, in keeping with Black’s mom Darla. However when the struggle in Ukraine started, it immediately grabbed the Marine veteran’s consideration.
“Andy simply felt such an excellent compassion for these individuals struggling, and he mentioned he could not eat, he could not sleep, he was simply overwhelmed by the sensation that he was being known as to assist,” Darla mentioned.
Huynh, who was identified in Ukraine by the decision signal “Hate,” was a fireteam chief in Charlie Firm, whereas Drueke was with a distinct squad however only a tent over, Angel recalled.
Angel mentioned he used to tease Huynh throughout these days with the Legion “as a result of he was a Hollywood Marine.”
“I am a Parris Island Marine,” Angel mentioned, alluding to the enduring rivalry between Marines who attend boot camp on the recruit depot in San Diego versus Parris Island in South Carolina.
The group “all frolicked, ate collectively, and talked collectively, and educated collectively,” Angel mentioned. Nonetheless, it will not final. By the tip of the primary week of Could, the 5 males would begin going their separate methods, mirroring a sample of many international fighters who typically modified missions and even left the nation inside days of arrival.
Trying to find a Method to the Entrance
Drueke, Huynh, Angel and Pip volunteered to assist replenish a unit that had suffered losses on the entrance in a bid to get into the thick of the combating, in keeping with Alva. The transfer was canceled on the final minute, however the 4 had been dedicated to leaving the Legion anyway.
Alva mentioned that they finally left resulting from a insecurity within the command. By Could 5, “we signed our discharge papers, then they escorted us off this property,” in keeping with Angel. Volunteers typically bounce between items searching for an opportunity to struggle in particular areas or serve with fellow countrymen.
Army.com tried to confirm the boys’s discharges with a spokesperson for the Worldwide Legion, a lady who goes by the decision signal Mockingjay, however she would neither affirm nor deny their membership.
The boys took a bus to the closest city and bought to a lodge, mentioned Angel, recounting their break with the Legion. Alva had stayed behind, although he too would ask for a discharge days later.
“We get to eat pizza, have just a few beers — apart from Hate,” he mentioned, referring to Huynh by his name signal. “I imagine he mentioned he was just lately baptized.”
Finally, the 4 discovered a Ukrainian military unit that may take them, however the transfer was short-lived. Angel mentioned that Pip left earlier than the unit accomplished a background test. “I do not know if he was anxious or what.”
Drueke, Huynh and Pip all left the brand new unit on Could 9 or 10, a couple of week after leaving the Ukrainian Legion, in keeping with Angel.
After the three males departed — and with two now held as captives — a lot of what occurred subsequent depends on info solely from Pip. Different sources had been reluctant to supply private particulars and particular info for concern of being focused by Russian forces.
A lot of Pip’s background stays a query mark. Those that knew him alluded to his prior navy service, however they gave completely different descriptions of the department, the place he served and the character of the service. Some additionally mentioned they’d a mistrust of Pip.
One former member of a unit the boys would be part of, who goes by “Doc Praning,” mentioned Pip labored as a cybersecurity skilled within the navy. Others equivalent to Angel and Alva talked about a stint within the Air Drive, perhaps within the ’90s, some odd habits, and conflicting tales.
Army.com couldn’t independently affirm Pip’s navy service, however did see documentation purporting to indicate his actual identify and date of beginning. The publication was additionally capable of set up his connection to the 2 lacking veterans, and far of the knowledge their households obtained within the weeks after their seize was relayed by Pip.
Pip “saved on attempting to hitch non-sanctioned teams,” in keeping with Angel, and it was Pip who could have performed a task in bringing Drueke and Huynh to the unit, a transfer that finally resulted within the two veterans’ seize.
The unit the place they ended up was crammed with fighters utilizing code names. It seemingly existed in a grey space of the battle with impartial funding and management. There, the boys would allegedly discover themselves dealing with off in opposition to the Russian military.
Job Drive Baguette
Job Drive Baguette fashioned originally of April, about two weeks earlier than both of the now-captured veterans arrived in Ukraine, in keeping with Doc Praning, who declined to supply Army.com with additional figuring out info for himself, citing safety causes.
Baguette consists of each American and French nationals, therefore the reference to conventional French bread. The dimensions of the unit is unknown, however its Twitter web page has posted photos depicting a couple of dozen members.
Mockingjay, the Legion spokesperson, instructed Army.com that the unit operates below the management of the Ukrainian authorities. Nonetheless, she additionally mentioned that “I’ve seen them on Twitter. … I can once more let you know that these individuals are not speaking for the Legion.”
Western leaders, equivalent to Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-In poor health., an Air Nationwide Guard officer, have attested to the unit’s legitimacy below the Ukrainian navy and, in Drueke and Huynh’s instances, safety below the Geneva Conventions.
In some unspecified time in the future in April, Baguette started receiving the monetary and logistical help of Hunter Ripley “Rip” Rawlings, a former Marine officer, writer and, in his newest enterprise, founding father of “Ripley’s Heroes” — a bunch that, in keeping with its web site, gives transportation, nonlethal assist and tools to its beneficiaries, together with Job Drive Baguette.
The help from Ripley’s Heroes seems to supply the group nonlethal provides, however it’s much less clear the place Baguette bought deadly munitions.
A June 11 video, set to the theme tune from the collection “Band of Brothers,” claims to indicate a member of Baguette loading a battery right into a Javelin’s command launch unit — a U.S.-supplied tank-destroying missile.
By the tip of Could, Baguette was in want of extra males. Doc Praning mentioned that not less than 4 members of the unique group had been leaving or had already left resulting from private or household issues.
“That was in regards to the time [Alex, Andy and Pip] had been speaking about becoming a member of the group,” Praning instructed Army.com by way of Twitter direct messages. “I feel by the point they arrived, two extra of the [original] group simply left.”
Praning mentioned Pip had been an authentic member of the group when it fashioned again originally of April in Lviv, in western Ukraine. However on the time, Pip had been dropped by the commanding officer, partly out of considerations that he would not be capable of bodily sustain with the group and partly as a result of he was wanted elsewhere.
Nearly a month later, it seems that Pip was instrumental in getting the boys a spot in his previous unit. It was the duty drive’s Twitter account that launched Drueke and Huynh to the world for the primary time, although solely by their struggle names “Bama” and “Hate.”
They tagged Rawlings, amongst different Twitter customers, to assist get the phrase out.
‘Mission Gone Unhealthy’ and Fog
Drueke, Huynh and Pip joined Job Drive Baguette someday on the finish of Could or starting of June — the exact date is unclear. It was mere weeks earlier than the June 15 announcement from the group publicly acknowledging their seize.
The three had traveled east to Kharkiv, although how is unclear.
Two days previous to that public announcement, Pip instructed the households that Drueke and Huynh had gone lacking.
In his telling, they had been captured by common Russian forces throughout a “mission gone dangerous.” The accounts of that mission differ. The Telegraph, a British newspaper that initially broke the story, interviewed an nameless fighter who claimed the Russian drive had 100 troops with blended armor, together with tanks.
“It is on the market within the public that they had been captured once they had been actively combating in opposition to Russian forces,” Mockingjay instructed Army.com. “They did not simply stroll throughout the highway and provides themselves as much as the Russians — that we all know for certain.”
In a single account from a pro-Russian separatist blogger who claimed to have spoken to Drueke immediately, the 2 weren’t captured by Russian common forces in any respect, however Donetsk separatists.
Different main information retailers have printed Pip’s account of a battle, together with particulars of a full-scale armored assault by means of a small village. Nonetheless, on condition that these accounts come from one unverified supply — Pip — there is no such thing as a means for Army.com to confirm their accuracy.
Army.com requested remark from Pip relating to the accuracy of the timeline of occasions that led to the three becoming a member of Baguette and the conflicting accounts of his navy service. He mentioned “you have gotten a whole lot of info flawed,” however when pressed a number of occasions, declined to level to something particularly incorrect. He additionally cited considerations for his security.
“For those who select to take heed to defective info from others who could or could not have briefly identified me then that is in your lack of journalistic integrity,” Pip wrote in a response to Army.com, occurring to accuse one other supply of being a drunkard.
What occurs subsequent to the 2 males presently in custody is as unsure because the circumstances surrounding their seize.
They look like within the custody of the separatist Donetsk Republic and, if that’s the case, they’re possible being held practically 200 miles south of the place they had been initially captured. The state is one in every of two breakaway areas within the Donbas area of jap Ukraine which have been combating a struggle with the nation’s authorities since 2014 in an effort to hitch the Russian Federation. Troops there haven’t solely obtained political and navy backing from Russia, however Moscow additionally formally acknowledged the breakaway area simply days earlier than its invasion in February.
Since March, Russian officers have rejected the thought of Geneva Conventions protections for worldwide volunteers in Ukraine. Russian state media has urged the boys be handled as stateless terrorists, citing recycled authorized rationalizations utilized by the George W. Bush administration to justify transferring prisoners to the ability at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The Drueke household mentioned the Army veteran’s captors have prompted him to inform his mom “a number of occasions” that they had been anxious to start negotiations for his launch, an indication Russian leaders could also be trying to leverage the Individuals for potential acquire.
Mockingjay underscored the Ukrainian authorities’s official place that the 2 males are entitled to the protections for prisoners of struggle below the Geneva Conventions.
“They’d be lined and guarded as a result of they had been in uniform, they had been brazenly carrying weapons, they had been lawful combatants,” she mentioned.
The State Division, exterior of confirming that it has seen photographs of the 2 veterans “reportedly” captured, has been largely silent. The households say it’s working diligently behind the scenes, although.
The specter of a trial or worse nonetheless looms over the boys.
His captors have allowed Drueke to name Bunny, and the Drueke household has been sharing particulars of these cellphone conversations with members of the media.
The household believes the calls to his mom had been scripted or, on the very least, closely moderated. In the course of the calls, Bunny seemed to be doing her finest to consolation Drueke, who mentioned he was remoted.
Bunny’s days now sometimes revolve round contact together with her son — leaving her phone line open, waking up within the morning to test her cellphone for updates.
Pleasure Black, Huynh’s fiancee, has taken an indefinite depart of absence from work. She and her mother strive to not depart the home collectively simply in case a name from Huynh comes by means of, although they have not heard something thus far.
“We simply work all day taking cellphone calls, making cellphone calls, doing interviews, trying up sources,” Darla mentioned. “Every little thing else in life is simply on maintain.”
— Konstantin Toropin will be reached at konstantin.toropin@navy.com. Observe him on Twitter @ktoropin.
— Drew F. Lawrence will be reached at drew.lawrence@navy.com. Observe him on Twitter @df_lawrence.
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