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Russian state TV airs videos of two missing Americans in Ukraine

The Channel News Asia reported, citing news agecncies, Russian state TV channel aired videos on social media of two Americans who went missing last week while fighting alongside the Ukrainian army, stating that they had been captured by Russian forces.
United States President Joe Biden had said earlier on Friday (Jun 17) that he did not know the whereabouts of Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, both US military veterans whose relatives lost contact with the pair.
The missing Americans - including a third identified as a former US Marines captain - are believed to be part of an unknown number of mostly military veterans who have joined other foreigners to volunteer alongside Ukrainian troops.
On Friday evening (June 17), Russian journalist Roman Kosarev - who works with state TV channel RT - posted a video on messaging platform Telegram of Drueke speaking facing the camera.

"Mom, I just want to let you know that I'm alive and I hope to be back home as soon as I can be," said Drueke, who was seated in what appeared to be an office and dressed in military fatigues.
"Love Diesel for me, love you," he said, concluding his brief video with a quick wink. Reports in the US say that Diesel was Drueke's dog.
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RT's official Telegram channel also posted an interview with Huynh, in which he said the duo had been "engaged in combat with Russian troops" near Ukraine's flashpoint Kharkiv area.
Huynh said that after the pair retreated and hid for hours, they surrendered themselves to Russian troops.
The pair were also filmed in separate RT videos - directly facing a camera angled from above - saying "I'm against the war", in poor Russian.
The circumstances under which the two men were speaking were not fully clear, nor who specifically was holding them.
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A US State Department spokesperson on Saturday confirmed that American authorities had seen the photos and videos of the two US citizens "reportedly captured by Russia's military forces in Ukraine".
The spokesperson told AFP: "We are closely monitoring the situation and our hearts go out to their families during this difficult time."
During a White House briefing on Friday, Biden urged US citizens not to go to Ukraine.
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He said: "Americans should not be going to Ukraine now. I'll say it again: Americans should not be going to Ukraine."
The Russian proxy authorities in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, a Moscow-controlled swath of eastern Ukraine, have sentenced to death two British men and a Moroccan captured earlier in fighting.
Source: cna
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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