Washington [US], May 7: The US military said on May 6 that an American soldier was arrested in Russia last week, accused of stealing from a woman.
NBC News quoted four US officials as saying the person arrested was Army sergeant Gordon Black. Mr. Black is stationed in Korea, and his deployment has ended. Before returning to the US, he went to the city of Vladivostok , Russia to meet a woman with whom he had an affair.
US officials said this was a personal trip, not part of an official work plan, and Mr. Black went to Russia without the consent of his superiors.
US Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith said Mr. Black was arrested on May 2, accused of stealing from a woman. It is unclear whether this is the woman he had a relationship with or not. He is being detained and awaiting trial, on official charges of "criminal misconduct".
Spokesman Smith added that Russia had informed the US State Department that the arrest was consistent with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The U.S. Army has notified Mr. Black's family, and the soldier is receiving appropriate consular assistance.
The Russian Embassy in Washington DC did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.
Previously, the US State Department's travel guidelines restricted citizens from traveling to Russia. The Department of Defense also issued similar instructions to Pentagon employees and soldiers.
Previously, Washington accused Russia of also arresting a number of US citizens, notably The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich , arrested in March 2023, and former Marine Paul Whelan in 2018. The US government says the two were wrongly detained, while Moscow insists their arrests were in accordance with Russian Criminal law.
The US and Russia had a rare prisoner exchange in 2022, when Washington released arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for basketball star Brittney Griner.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
