The two US military veterans lost contact with their loved ones while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces near the Russian border.
A Russian state television channel has released videos of the two Americans who were reported missing last week while fighting alongside the Ukrainian army, hours after the Ukrainian president USAJoe Biden, acknowledged that his whereabouts were unknown.
Family members and some members of Congress report that Alexander Drueke Y Andy Huynboth US military veterans from the southern state of Alabamalost contact with their relatives while fight alongside Ukrainian forces near the Russian border.
The State Department had reported that the Americans, as well as a third citizen who was a captain in the United States Marines, were missing.
On Friday night, the Russian television journalist RT, Roman Cossarevposted a video on the Telegram messaging platform in which Drueke spoke to the camera. “Mom, I just want you to know that I am alive and hope to be back home as soon as possible,” said Drueke, who was seen sitting in what looked like an office and wearing military-style clothing. “Send my love to Diesel, I love you”, he concluded and gave a quick nod. Diesel is her dog.
RT’s official Telegram channel also published an interview with Huynhwhere it says that both “met in combat with Russian troops” near the strategic Ukrainian zone of Khrkov.
“Russian troops overran our positions. We had to go back and one of my comrades and I waited about three hours in a trench to make sure the area was cleared,” Huynh said. “We ended up walking through the forest for about five hours. We finally came to a path where we surrendered to the Russian forces.”
“I am against war”
The two Americans appear in separate RT videos and saying “I am against war” in a precarious Russian.
RT’s description of the apparent anti-war statements was: “Meet the American mercenaries who came to fight us in Ukraine. They were stationed near Khrkov (…) After meeting our men, they now hate war and want peace, and want to go home. However this is unlikely.”
It is not yet clear if the two military veterans were forced to speak and the circumstances in which the videos were recorded are unknown.
A State Department spokesman confirmed this Saturday that US authorities had seen the photos and videos. “We are closely monitoring the situation and our hearts go out to their families during this difficult time,” the spokesman said.
At the White House on Friday, Biden urged American citizens not to go to Ukraine. “Americans should not go to Ukraine right now. I’ll say it again: Americans should not go to Ukraine,” he insisted.
The Russian authorities of the call Donetsk People’s Republica strip of eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow, sentenced two Britons and a Moroccan they had captured in fighting to death.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism