Moscow: Two Americans captured in Ukraine even as combating with Kyiv’s army have been “endangering” Russian squaddies and must be “held responsible for the ones crimes,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Monday in an interview with NBC News.
The interview marks the primary time the Kremlin has commented at the instances of Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, each US army veterans, in line with NBC.
“They’re squaddies of fortune and that they have been concerned in unlawful sports at the territory of Ukraine. They have been concerned in firing and shelling our army personnel. They have been endangering their lives,” Peskov advised the network, in English.
“They must be held accountable for the ones crimes that they have got committed,” he delivered withinside the first bits of the interview made public.
“Those crimes must be investigated.”
When pressed on what crimes the Americans had committed, Peskov admitted their precise offenses have been now no longer but known, however claimed that they might now no longer be blanketed via way of means of the Geneva conventions on prisoners of war.
“They are now no longer (withinside the) Ukrainian army, so they’re now no longer challenge to the Geneva Conventions,” the Kremlin spokesman stated.
Last week, a Russian nation TV channel aired motion pictures on social media of Drueke and Huynh.
The instances below which the 2 guys have been being held have been now no longer absolutely clear, nor who mainly become keeping them. Peskov might handiest say they have been being held via way of means of “government.”
As to whether or not they might face the dying penalty, Peskov stated: “It relies upon at the investigation.”
US President Joe Biden stated Friday that he did now no longer realize the whereabouts of Drueke and Huynh, who’re believed to have joined different foreigners in volunteering along Ukrainian troops.
A US State Department spokesperson on Saturday showed American government had visible the photographs and motion pictures of the 2 US citizens “reportedly captured via way of means of Russia’s army forces in Ukraine.”
“We are intently tracking the scenario and our hearts exit to their households throughout this tough time,” the spokesperson advised AFP.
On the case of WNBA movie star Brittney Griner, who’s being held in pre-trial detention in Russia on drug prices, Peskow strongly rejected the concept that she become being held as a hostage.
“We can’t name her a hostage. Why must we name her a hostage? She violated Russian regulation and now she is being prosecuted,” the Kremlin spokesman stated.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, become detained at Moscow airport in February on prices of sporting in her bags vape cartridges with hashish oil, which can deliver a 10-yr jail sentence.
Washington says that Russia has “wrongfully detained” the 31-yr-antique Griner and became her case over to americaA unique envoy in price of hostages.
Her pre-trial detention has been prolonged till July 2.