Russia says US fighters captured in Ukraine must be 'held accountable for their crimes'

Americans captured in Ukraine were “mercenaries” engaged in illegal activities and should take responsibility for ir “crimes”, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. In first comments by Kremlin over detention of two Americans in pro-Russian region so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Peskov said in an interview with NBC that men did not come under Geneva convention as y were not regular Ukrainian troops fighting against Russia. 

Peskov furr said that two Americans captured in Ukraine while fighting with Ukrainian military were “endangering” Russian soldiers and should be “held accountable for those crimes".

He said, “y're soldiers of fortune and y were involved in illegal activities on territory of Ukraine. y were involved in firing and shelling our military personnel. y were endangering ir lives”.

“y should be held responsible for those crimes that y have committed…Those crimes have to be investigated,” he also said in first bits of interview me public by network.

When asked about kind of crimes that both Americans, Alexander John-Robert Drueke and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, have committed, Oeskov confessed that ir specific offences remained unknown. However, Kremlin spokesperson went on to say that y would not be covered under Geneva Convention on prisoners of war. 

"y are not (in ) Ukrainian army, so y are not subject to Geneva Conventions," Kremlin spokesman said.

Two Americans detained in pro-Russia DPR

Earlier, two American volunteers fighting for Ukraine were taken into detention by pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk after y were captured last week, stated Russian media. RT stated that US citizens Alexander John-Robert Drueke from Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh from Hartselle, Alabama were interviewed by Russian state media at detention centre in Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) on Friday after y both went missing on June 9.

39-year-old Drueke and 27-year-old Huynh disappeared during a battle in north of Kharkiv and CNN stated that it was feared Americans might have been captured by Russian forces, according to families and a fellow fighter. A US State Department spokesperson h told CNN on Friday that y “have seen photos and videos of se two citizens reportedly captured by Russia's military forces in Ukraine" and were "closely monitoring situation."

"We are in contact with Ukrainian authorities, International Committee of Red Cross, and with families mselves," y continued. "Due to privacy considerations, we have no furr comment on se cases."

Image: AP