Russia claims to spirit U.S. citizen working for it in Ukraine

According to Reuters, Russian state media reported on Monday that Moscow's forces fighting in Ukraine successfully extracted a U.S. citizen from eastern Ukraine who had allegedly assisted them in targeting Ukraine for at least two years. The report included a photograph of the purported American, whose face was blurred, embracing a group that appeared to be Russian special forces in combat uniforms.

According to the reports, which cited Moscow's forces in the Donetsk region, the American was referred to as "Kenneth M." However, Reuters was unable to independently verify these claims. 

The U.S. embassy in Moscow stated that it could not comment "due to privacy concerns."

The Russian media characterized the man as "The Quiet American," referencing the 1955 novel by Graham Greene that narrates the early U.S. involvement in Vietnam through the experiences of a British journalist and an American agent.

Russian forces claimed that special operations and army units had facilitated the extraction of the American, asserting that he had provided "valuable intelligence" for two years. Reports suggested that the information he supplied had enabled the Russian military to carry out "precision strikes against the enemy." 

Additionally, Russian-backed forces in Donetsk reportedly stated that "the life of the rescued American is not in danger," and that discussions regarding political asylum and potential citizenship in Russia were underway.