Kremlin claims US fighters are mercenaries and not protected by Geneva Conventions.

Russia has warned that two captured US volunteer fighters could face the death penalty, alleging they are mercenaries not protected by international law. The two Americans, Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, both from Alabama, were taken into detention in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the fighters threatened the lives of Russian personnel, as well as those of pro-Russian separatists from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics.

Russian media has reported that two out of three missing US volunteers in Ukraine have been captured by pro-Russian forces, although the Kremlin denied knowing their whereabouts. These statements raise concerns over the fate of the detained individuals, with Russia suggesting that they could face severe punishment for their involvement in the conflict.