US soldier arrested in Russia on theft charges

A US soldier who was detained in Russia on charges of criminal misconduct was arrested by a Vladivostok court on theft charges, Russia’s RIA state news agency reported on Tuesday (7 May).

Citing the court’s press office, RIA said that the soldier, whom the court identified as Gordon Black, is to be detained until 2 July.

“The Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok arrested the American soldier Gordon Black … under the ‘Theft’ article (of Russia’s criminal code),” RIA cited the court’s spokeswoman as saying.

The US Army, which said on Monday it had been informed about the detention, has not officially named the soldier.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the soldier had been based in South Korea. Another US official said the soldier was accused of stealing from a woman.

Honey trap?

The Russian daily Izvestia, quoting an unnamed source, said the South Korea-based Army sergeant met a woman from Russia’s far eastern port of Vladivostok on the Internet.

Izvestia said the couple lived together for a time and that he stole 200,000 roubles ($2,196) from her.

Reuters could not independently verify the Izvestia report.

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said he is “deeply concerned” by the report.

“Putin has a long history of holding American citizens hostage,” McCaul said in a post shared on X. “A warning to all Americans—as the State Department has said, it is not safe to travel to Russia.”

Among the most prominent US citizens to be detained are Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was jailed last March, and former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018. The US government has said that both Gershkovich and Whelan are wrongfully detained.

WNBA star Brittney Griner spent 10 months in Russian penal colonies for drug-related charges but was released in a rare prisoner exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in 2022.

(Edited by Georgi Gotev)

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