一名在乌克兰被捕的前美国士兵的家人周二表示，自上周末以来，他已经两次联系美国国务院，阅读确认逮捕他的人是顿涅茨克人民共和国部队的声明，顿涅茨克人民共和国是俄罗斯支持的乌克兰地区。
40岁的亚历克斯·德鲁克(Alex Drueke)于4月中旬从阿拉巴马州塔斯卡卢萨郊外离家，打算作为志愿者加入乌克兰军队。到达后，他帮助训练士兵从其他国家获得的装备。
他们说，德鲁克最后一次与家人联系是在6月13日。6月15日，Drueke和Andy Huynh的照片开始通过乌克兰和俄罗斯的社交媒体出现在网上，显示两人被囚禁。
据德鲁克的姑姑缔安娜·肖说，周六，德鲁克第一次用一个俄罗斯电话号码给国务院打电话。他宣读了一份声明，声明称DPR希望通过谈判释放德鲁克和胡恩。他补充说，他受到了良好的待遇，有住所和水。
她说，在周二的第二次电话中，Drueke宣读了绑架者关于谈判的第二份声明，但没有具体说明条款。据肖说，他说他大部分时间都被单独监禁，已经好几天没有见到阮宁了。
美国国务院在给美国广播公司新闻频道(ABC News)的一份声明中表示，“我们一直在与乌克兰和俄罗斯当局联系，讨论可能在乌克兰作战时被俄罗斯代理人抓获的美国公民。”。“我们正在尽可能多地了解情况，并提供各种可能的支持，包括我们正在联系的家庭。出于隐私考虑，我们目前没有进一步的评论。”
克里姆林宫没有证实两人被关押的地点。
肖说，这些电话是“俄罗斯知道全世界都在看着”的证据，并暗示俄罗斯政府在保护这些人方面发挥了作用。
“俄罗斯对他们的代理人有影响力，以确保亚历克斯和安迪作为战俘得到人道待遇，并最终毫发无损地获释，”她说。
周五，乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽伦斯基(Volodymyr Zelenskyy)称这两人是“英雄”，并表示他将为他们的获释而斗争。
“我们会为他们而战，让他们回来，当然他们会回到家人身边，”他说。“对我来说，这是一个巨大的荣誉，世界上有一些士兵不害怕，他们来支持我们和我们的主权和独立。”
在一份声明中，老兵的母亲邦妮·德鲁科(Bunny Drueke)表示，“听到乌克兰政府承诺确保亚历克斯和安迪的释放，这非常令人鼓舞。”
德鲁克在美国陆军服役12年，包括两次在伊拉克服役。
US veteran held by Russian-backed forces in Ukraine says captors want to negotiate release: Family
The family of a former U.S. soldier captured in Ukraine said Tuesday he has contacted the U.S. State Department twice since the weekend to read statements that identified his captors as forces from the Donetsk People's Republic, a Russian-backed region in Ukraine.
Alex Drueke, 40, left his home from outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama in mid-April, intending to join Ukrainian forces as a volunteer. Upon arrival, he helped train soldiers on equipment they received from other nations.
Drueke last contacted his family on June 13, they said. On June 15, photos of Drueke and Andy Huynh started appearing online via Ukrainian and Russian social media that showed the men in captivity.
According to Drueke's aunt, Dianna Shaw, Drueke first called the State Department Saturday from a Russian phone number. He read a statement that said the DPR wanted to negotiate the release of Drueke and Huynh. He added that he was being treated well and had shelter and water.
During a second phone call on Tuesday, Drueke read a second statement from his captors regarding negotiations without specifying terms, she said. He said he was spending most of his time in solitary confinement and had not seen Huynh in several days, according to Shaw.
"We have been in contact with the Ukrainian and Russian authorities regarding U.S. citizens who may have been captured by Russia's proxies while fighting in Ukraine," the State Department said in a statement to ABC News. "We are seeking to learn as much as we can and are providing every form of support possible, including for the families, with whom we are in contact. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment at this time."
The Kremlin has not confirmed where both men are being held.
Shaw said the phone calls are evidence that "Russia knows the world is watching" and suggested the Russian government is playing a role in protecting the men.
"Russia has the influence over their surrogates to see that Alex and Andy are given humane treatment as POWs and eventually released unharmed," she said.
On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called both men "heroes" and said he would fight for their release.
"We'll fight for them and get them back, and of course they will come back to their families," he said. "To me, it is a great honor that in the world there are some soldiers that are not afraid, and they came to support us and our sovereignty and independence."
In a statement, Bunny Drueke, the veteran's mother, said it was "very encouraging to hear the Ukrainian government is committed to securing Alex's and Andy's release."
Drueke served in the U.S. Army for 12 years, including two tours in Iraq.
