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Two US citizens who travelled to Ukraine as volunteer combatants against Russian forces have been lacking for a week and are believed to have been kidnapped, according to family members on Wednesday. Alexander Drueke, 39, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Andy Huynh, 27, of Hartselle, Alabama, were last heard from on June 8 and did not return from a mission in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region.
According to the families and a US State Department spokesperson, reports that the two were taken prisoner of war by Russia are unconfirmed.
“What we know officially from the State Department at this point is that Andy and Alex are missing,” Joy Black, Andy’s fiancee, said over the phone.
“We don’t have verification for anything else. Obviously, the longer the search continues, the more we begin to consider alternative scenarios “She continued.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova, the US has not contacted Russia about the reports of US fighters.
“I don’t have that information, but I check every day and will check again today. We make public all information about the fate of mercenaries detained or sentenced to trial “Zakharova was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.
The Russian defence ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
If they are captured, they will be the first confirmed US citizens taken as prisoners of war in the conflict, which began on February 24 with Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering an incursion of its neighbour.
If the reports are true, White House national security spokesman John Kirby says the US will “do everything we can” to get them back.
After being caught fighting for Ukraine, two British citizens and a Moroccan were condemned to death by a separatist court in the unrecognised Russian-speaking Donetsk People’s Republic last week.
Alexander’s mother, Lois Drueke, said she had been in interaction with the US Embassy for Ukraine in Poland, which was looking for the pair.
