Official says Washington has not but raised earlier reviews of two lacking US fighters with Moscow.

United States officers have mentioned they’re conscious of reviews of a 3rd US citizen lacking in war-torn Ukraine, after household and elected officers mentioned two different males who had travelled to the nation to combat towards Russian forces had gone lacking and have been feared captured.

US State Division spokesman Ned Value mentioned on Thursday the company was conscious of reviews of the third lacking one who had travelled to Ukraine to “take up arms”. He added the division was in “contact with the household”, however didn’t present additional particulars or establish the person.

Value additionally mentioned Washington has not but raised with Moscow the problem of two different males reported lacking in Ukraine, recognized by relations as Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27.

Family have advised reporters the 2 males, each US army veterans dwelling in Alabama, have been final heard from on June 8 within the Kharkiv area, close to the border with Russia.

“[We] haven’t seen something from the Russians indicating that two such people are of their custody,” Value mentioned.

The Telegraph newspaper had beforehand quoted an unnamed fellow fighter who mentioned the 2 males have been captured after working into a bigger Russian group throughout a June 9 battle northeast of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest metropolis. Household and US officers have mentioned these reviews, in addition to a photograph circulating on Telegram that seems to point out the 2 males held captive behind a truck, stay unconfirmed.

Value added the US has been in contact with Ukrainian officers and the Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross in regards to the pair. Earlier on Thursday, the White Home mentioned it was “working very exhausting to be taught extra” in regards to the two lacking males.

If confirmed, the duo can be the primary US residents captured by Russian forces in Ukraine since their invasion started on February 24.

US officers have repeatedly discouraged residents from travelling to Ukraine or becoming a member of the Worldwide Legion, a army unit created by Kyiv for overseas volunteers within the wake of the invasion.

“There are a lot of people [in the US] who’re well-intentioned and who need to do every part they will to assist the folks of Ukraine,” Value advised reporters on Thursday. “There are avenues and methods to channel that vitality, to channel these efforts in methods which are constructive and finally useful for the folks of Ukraine, and you will discover a lot of these on our web site.”

The Russian army has been condemned for saying it considers foreigners combating with Ukraine – even those that have formally joined the Worldwide Legion – to be mercenaries. It has claimed such fighters aren’t protected underneath the Geneva Conference.

Final week, a court docket in Russian-backed separatist-controlled Donetsk sentenced two British nationals and a Moroccan man to dying, accusing them of being mercenaries who sought to violently overthrow the separatist authorities. The households of the 2 Britons have mentioned they have been longtime members of the Ukrainian marines, whereas the Moroccan man’s father has mentioned his son additionally holds Ukrainian citizenship.