Russia can't guarantee that Americans captured in Ukraine won't face death penalty - Peskov

WASHINGTON. June 21 (Interfax) - Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said he cannot guarantee that the U.S. citizens taken captive during fighting in Ukraine will not face the death penalty.

"I cannot guarantee anything. It depends on the investigation," Peskov said in an interview with MSNBC.

These Americans are not with Ukraine's regular army, and, therefore, are not covered by the Geneva Conventions, he said.

Peskov called these Americans "soldiers of fortune", who took pace in illegal operations in Ukrainian territory.

"They were involved in firing and shelling our military personnel. They were endangering their lives. They should be held responsible for those crimes that they committed," Peskov said.

U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said last week that the United States was in touch with the Ukrainian side and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross following reports that two American citizens had been captured by Russian forces in Ukraine. Price said then that the U.S. was not currently discussing this situation with Russia.

"If we feel that such outreach through our embassy in Moscow or otherwise would be productive in terms of finding out more information" on these Americans, the U.S. will be ready to do it, he said.