I think the problem is that we don't know if Brenner is in Russia or not. If he is, either he or Hopper could have been the American they were referring to in that scene. It was an off-hand comment, and is not necessarily connected to the labor camp we see in the teaser.
Ah, I see your previous comment now. So your theory is that because they use the word "the" instead of "one of the" there's only one American in their vicinity? I suppose it could be interpreted this way. It also could have been to compare that prisoner with another. "Take the American, not the guy next to him."
Dead
Alive
