Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson for President Vladimir Putin, asserted that trust with Western nations cannot be rebuilt. He told NBC journalist Cyrus Simmons that while the conflict would be prolonged, Russia would not place trust in the West again.
According to Simmons, the interview with Peskov lasted over an hour, yet only short excerpts were aired. NBC did not announce a full version, and the filming occurred in Moscow.
“These forces were aiming at our troops”
Peskov did not guarantee that Americans captured in Ukraine would avoid the death penalty in the Donetsk or Luhansk regions. When asked whether Alexander Dryuke and Andy Hyun might meet the same fate as two British nationals and a Moroccan who were sentenced to death in June, he replied that the outcome would depend on the ongoing investigations.
The spokesman emphasized that the involvement of U.S. citizens who are not members of Ukraine’s armed forces does not fall under the Geneva Conventions. He described mercenaries as engaging in unlawful activities in the conflict and noted that those mercenaries were actively targeting Russian soldiers on the battlefield, thereby placing themselves at risk.
“There will be a court and there will be a court decision,” he stated. Peskov referred to Druke and Hyun as “soldiers of fortune” and summed up the stance: they should face punishment.
The Telegraph reported that Dryuke and Hyun were apprehended near Kharkov. President Biden was briefed on the incident, and it was noted that they represented the third American missing in Ukraine, following the case of a former Marine Corps officer, Grady Kurpasi.
Last week, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the number of foreign mercenaries arriving in Ukraine has slowed, with many already in the country choosing to depart. Data from the agency as of June 17, 2022, indicated mercenaries and weapons specialists from 64 countries were present, with 6,956 arrivals since the start of the special operation and 1,956 casualties, including 214 American citizens.
“There is prosecution, nothing to do”
In the interview, Peskov commented on American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained amid an attempt to import goods into Russia through Sheremetyevo Airport, asserting she is not a hostage. He questioned the premise of calling someone a hostage and argued that drug-related offenses are prosecuted under the law, with no available avenues for intervention.
Peskov further noted that Russia is not alone in enforcing stringent drug and related laws, highlighting a broad spectrum of national legal frameworks around the globe.
Griner has a notable sports résumé, having won World Championships in 2014 in Turkey, Olympic gold in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, World Championships in 2018 in Spain, and the Tokyo Games in 2020. Reports from media outlets in May indicated a potential exchange proposal, suggesting Griner in exchange for Viktor Bout, a Russian convicted of arms smuggling in a U.S. prison.