BIRMINGHAM: Two US veterans from Alabama were in Ukraine Members of the state’s congressional delegation said on Wednesday assistance in the fight against Russia had not been heard for several days and was missing.
Relatives of Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27 years old, Trinity and Alexander DruekePress aides said the 39-year-old Tuscaloosa had contacted both the Senate and House of Representatives offices seeking information on the man’s whereabouts.
Answer Robert Aderholt Huynh said Huynh had volunteered to fight with the Ukrainian army against Russia, but his relatives had not heard of him since June 8, when he was in the Kharkiv region, in northeastern Ukraine, near the border with Russia. Russia. Huynh and Drueke were together, an Aderholt aide said.
“As you can imagine, his loved ones are very concerned about him,” Aderholt said in a statement.
“My office has questioned both the US State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to try to get any information it can.”
The US State Department said it was looking into reports that Russian-backed or Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine had detained at least two US citizens. If confirmed, they would be the first Americans fighting for Ukraine to be captured since the war began on February 24.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities,” the ministry said in an emailed statement to reporters. It declined to comment further, citing privacy considerations.
A court in Donetsk, under separatist control, sentenced two Britons and a Moroccan man to death last week.
Huynh’s fiancée, Joy Black, has publicly posted on Facebook that his family is in contact with the Drueke family and government officials, and nothing has been confirmed other than that both are missing.
“Hold Andy, and Alex, and all their loved ones in prayer. We just want them back home,” she wrote.
US Representative Adam Kinzinger tweeted that the Americans “have enlisted in the Ukrainian army, and are therefore given legal protection to the fighters. As such, we expect Legion members to be treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.” It is not clear if Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, has any further information about the men.
He was commenting on a tweet sent earlier on Wednesday by Task Force Baguette, a group of American and French military veterans, saying that two Americans fighting them were arrested a week ago. The group said Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the information.
Early in the war, Ukraine established the International Legion for foreign nationals who wanted to help defend against Russian aggression.
Huynh spoke to his local newspaper, Decatur Daily, shortly before flying to Eastern Europe in April.
He explained that he was studying robotics at Calhoun Community College but couldn’t stop thinking about the Russian invasion.
“I know it’s not my problem, but there’s this nagging feeling that I feel I have to do something,” Huynh told Decatur Daily.
“Two weeks after the war started, it continued to eat me and I didn’t feel well. I lost sleep. … All I can think of is the situation in Ukraine. ”
He said he decided to fly out when he learned that young Ukrainians were being enlisted.
“As soon as they turned 18, they were forced to join the army to defend the country,” Huynh said.
“Honestly, it broke my heart. I would say that was probably the moment when I decided that I had to do something. ”
According to the newspaper, Huynh enlisted in the Marines at the age of 19 and served for four years, although he did not see active combat.
He was born and raised in Orange County, California, is a Vietnamese immigrant and moved to northern Alabama two years ago to be closer to his fiancée, the newspaper reported.
Relatives of Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27 years old, Trinity and Alexander DruekePress aides said the 39-year-old Tuscaloosa had contacted both the Senate and House of Representatives offices seeking information on the man’s whereabouts.
Answer Robert Aderholt Huynh said Huynh had volunteered to fight with the Ukrainian army against Russia, but his relatives had not heard of him since June 8, when he was in the Kharkiv region, in northeastern Ukraine, near the border with Russia. Russia. Huynh and Drueke were together, an Aderholt aide said.
“As you can imagine, his loved ones are very concerned about him,” Aderholt said in a statement.
“My office has questioned both the US State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to try to get any information it can.”
The US State Department said it was looking into reports that Russian-backed or Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine had detained at least two US citizens. If confirmed, they would be the first Americans fighting for Ukraine to be captured since the war began on February 24.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities,” the ministry said in an emailed statement to reporters. It declined to comment further, citing privacy considerations.
A court in Donetsk, under separatist control, sentenced two Britons and a Moroccan man to death last week.
Huynh’s fiancée, Joy Black, has publicly posted on Facebook that his family is in contact with the Drueke family and government officials, and nothing has been confirmed other than that both are missing.
“Hold Andy, and Alex, and all their loved ones in prayer. We just want them back home,” she wrote.
US Representative Adam Kinzinger tweeted that the Americans “have enlisted in the Ukrainian army, and are therefore given legal protection to the fighters. As such, we expect Legion members to be treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.” It is not clear if Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, has any further information about the men.
He was commenting on a tweet sent earlier on Wednesday by Task Force Baguette, a group of American and French military veterans, saying that two Americans fighting them were arrested a week ago. The group said Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the information.
Early in the war, Ukraine established the International Legion for foreign nationals who wanted to help defend against Russian aggression.
Huynh spoke to his local newspaper, Decatur Daily, shortly before flying to Eastern Europe in April.
He explained that he was studying robotics at Calhoun Community College but couldn’t stop thinking about the Russian invasion.
“I know it’s not my problem, but there’s this nagging feeling that I feel I have to do something,” Huynh told Decatur Daily.
“Two weeks after the war started, it continued to eat me and I didn’t feel well. I lost sleep. … All I can think of is the situation in Ukraine. ”
He said he decided to fly out when he learned that young Ukrainians were being enlisted.
“As soon as they turned 18, they were forced to join the army to defend the country,” Huynh said.
“Honestly, it broke my heart. I would say that was probably the moment when I decided that I had to do something. ”
According to the newspaper, Huynh enlisted in the Marines at the age of 19 and served for four years, although he did not see active combat.
He was born and raised in Orange County, California, is a Vietnamese immigrant and moved to northern Alabama two years ago to be closer to his fiancée, the newspaper reported.
