President Joe Biden said Friday that he and the U.S. don’t know where the three reportedly missing U.S. citizens are in Ukraine, warning Americans not to travel to the country at war.
“How concerned are you about the three Americans who are reportedly missing in Ukraine? Have you been briefed?” a reporter asked Biden.
“I have been briefed. We don’t know where they are,” Biden, who was on his way to Delaware to spend the weekend, told the reporter. “I want to reiterate, Americans should not be going to Ukraine now. I’ll say it again, Americans should not be going to Ukraine now.”
State Department spokesman Ned Price acknowledged Thursday that three American citizens are reportedly missing in Ukraine. (RELATED: Families Of Two Missing US Citizens Fear They Are Captured By Russians)
Two U.S. veterans, 39-year-old Alexander Drueke from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and 27-year-old Andy Huynh from Hartselle, Alabama, have been reportedly missing since June 8. They went to Ukraine to fight against invading Russian troops and ran into a 100-member Russian unit, according to their comrade that spoke to The Telegraph.
Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, two US military veterans who have joined the #Ukrainian army have been captured by #Russian occupiers in #Kharkiv region, reports @Telegraph. pic.twitter.com/PZADAEK3i1
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 16, 2022
The Russian unit shot at the men with a tank and the men appeared to disappear in a cloud of smoke after the incident, according to the comrade. No evidence of the men was found at the site, and a Russian Telegram channel allegedly boasted about two captured American “mercenaries,” according to the outlet.
The families of the two veterans are worried that they may have been captured by Russians and have not heard from them since June 8.
Price stated the State Department is “aware of unconfirmed reports of two U.S. citizens captured in Ukraine. We’re closely monitoring the situation. We are in contact with Ukrainian authorities, as well as with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the families of the two reported missing U.S. citizens.”
He also said there are “reports of one additional American whose whereabouts are unknown,” and they have been missing in “recent weeks.”