https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/21/politics/white-house-americans-russia/index.html

White House says it's 'appalling' Russia won't rule out executing detained Americans who volunteered to fight for Ukraine

The White House says it is "appalling" Russia won't rule out applying the death penalty on two American citizens who are detained after volunteering to fight in Ukraine.

"We still are trying to learn more about these two individuals," said John Kirby, the coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council.

"It's appalling that a public official in Russia would even suggest the death penalty for two American citizens that were in Ukraine. And we're going to continue to try and learn what we can about this," he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday the Geneva Convention the charter that sets out how soldiers and civilians are treated in wartime, including banning execution of prisoners of war does not apply to the two detained US citizens.