Kremlin says it does not know location of captured U.S. 'mercenaries'

A still image taken from Russian state TV footage that it said shows Andy Huynh, a U.S. citizen captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine, at an unknown location, in a still image from a video released on June 17, 2022. Video released June 17, 2022. RU-RTR/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Tuesday it did not know the location of two Americans captured while fighting in eastern Ukraine, but that they were mercenaries and could be sentenced to death in Russian-backed breakaway territories.

Americans Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, went missing this month while fighting near Kharkiv. Russian state media later showed video interviews with the pair, saying they had been captured by Russian-backed forces.