In a chilling foreshadowing of their destiny, the Russian government has stated that the lives of two American fighters taken by state-backed troops in Ukraine early this month would not be guaranteed.
On June 11, Alex Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, were taken during a struggle for Kharkiv. They are both thought to be alive and have lately been seen in footage posted on the internet.
Russian officials, on the other hand, have stated that they cannot ensure the men’s survival in the region.
In an interview on Monday night, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the pair were not protected by the Geneva Convention – which outlaws taking prisoners of war – because they were not part of the official Ukrainian army.
‘It depends on the investigation,’ Peskov told NBC News when asked if the two US citizens would be given the same death-by-firing-squad sentence that was handed down to British fighters Shaun Pinner, 48, and Aiden Aslin, 28.
‘Those guys on the battlefield were firing at our military guys. They were endangering their lives. There will be a court, and there will be a court decision.
‘They should be punished,’ he said.
It comes as a second US citizen was killed in combat in the region.
New York grandfather Stephen Zabielski, 52, was killed on May 15 while fighting in the region.
He was a husband, father and grandfather whose death was reported by a local newspaper in his hometown in upstate New York.
In May, Stephen Zabielski, 52, was assassinated in Ukraine.
He was slain fighting in the Ukrainian hamlet of Dorozhniank, according to his obituary.
A Facebook acquaintance claimed to have served in the US Army, which piqued the interest of young Ukrainian combatants.
‘He feared he wouldn’t be accepted given our age – but his experience got him the exception. Despite our age, we both knew we had a duty given our beliefs.
‘Steve remained in Ukraine and gave his life for Ukraine’s freedom. He was killed by a landmine. He was the child of Polish-Americans so he knew and understood sacrifice.’
His death comes after that of U.S. Marine Corps veteran Willy Joseph Cancel, 22, who was killed in April.
The Pentagon continues to insist that it will do ‘everything’ possible to bring Drueke and Huynh home safely.
Yesterday, one of the men’s comrades in Ukraine spoke out anonymously to CBS to say he felt guilty for bringing them to the war zone.
‘They sort of followed me out here.
‘We all agreed there was no leader in the group but I definitely feel a bit guilty, without a doubt.
‘We should have taken a closer look at more humanitarian options or training options.
‘If we did, then they wouldn’t be in the situation they’re in,’ he said.
The anonymous group-leader who was with them told CBS that he and they knew execution was a possibility.
