The United States has called it “appalling” that Russia is discussing the possibility of imposing the death penalty on two Americans captured by Russia in Ukraine, and confirmed that a second American national had been killed in action there.
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“It is appalling that a Russian government official is suggesting the death penalty for two American citizens who were in Ukraine,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday, responding to the statements. of Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov during an interview with the American channel NBC.
Mr Peskov said the two Americans captured in eastern Ukraine in early June, Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, were “endangering” Russian soldiers and should be “held accountable for these crimes”.
He claimed they were “mercenaries” involved “in illegal activities” and therefore not protected by the Geneva Conventions. As to whether they face the death penalty, the Russian spokesman said: “It depends on the investigation.”
Mr. Kirby called the remarks “alarming” regardless of the Russian spokesperson’s intention: “Let that be what they really mean — let that be a possible outcome, let them impose the penalty of death to two Americans who were fighting in Ukraine — or that they think a great power is showing responsibility by talking about doing that”.
AFP
John Kirby.
Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh were filmed in videos released last week by Russian state television, but the circumstances in which they are being held are unclear.
Washington considers that Russia should treat them humanely like any prisoner of war, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.
“We have made this clear to the Russian government,” a senior US official told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.
The American diplomats argue that the Russian authorities had given them no information directly about these two captured fighters.
“To my knowledge, we are not officially aware of anything. So one of our requests is: who are you detaining, if you are detaining anyone, and where are they? And if you detain someone, you are obliged to treat them with respect for Geneva”, insisted this official who requested anonymity.
The State Department has confirmed the death of Stephen Zabielski, 52, saying he was providing consular assistance to his family.
“We reaffirm that American citizens should not travel to Ukraine because of the ongoing armed conflict and the risk that Russian government security officials in Ukraine will target them because of their American nationality,” said one. spokesman for American diplomacy.
He called on Americans in the warring country to “leave immediately, if safe to do so, by any commercial or private means of overland transportation.”
Stephen Zabielski is the second American to be confirmed killed in action with Ukrainian troops since the Russian invasion of the country in late February.
A 22-year-old former Marine, Willy Joseph Cancel, was killed in the same circumstances at the end of April.
In an obituary notice published by a newspaper in the state of New York, where Stephen Zabielski lived, we learn that this former construction worker, who leaves behind a wife and five stepchildren, died on May 15 “in beating in the village of Dorozhnyank, Ukraine”.
Reference-www.tvanouvelles.ca