A U.S. soldier named Gordon Black has been arrested in Russia on theft charges and will be held in custody for at least two months. The Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok confirmed his arrest under the theft article of Russia’s criminal code until July 2. Black, a Staff Sgt., was detained last week and is being held in pre-trial detention. The court stated that he was charged with secretly stealing property from a person known as “citizen T,” causing significant damage. Black’s detention was deemed necessary to prevent him from evading charges and avoiding responsibility.
According to reports from NBC News, the soldier was detained after traveling from South Korea, where he was stationed, to Vladivostok in the far eastern region of Russia. He was on his way home to the U.S. and had stopped in Russia to meet a woman he was romantically involved with. The U.S. Army spokesperson confirmed the soldier’s detention, which occurred on Thursday. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s office in Vladivostok stated that the case is unrelated to politics or espionage and is believed to involve a household crime. The mission of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Vladivostok is not closely monitoring the case of the U.S. citizen.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed deep concern over the soldier’s detention, warning Americans against traveling to Russia based on the State Department’s guidance. The current travel advisory from the U.S. State Department advises against all travel to Russia. There are other Americans held in Russian prisons, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was jailed in March, and former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018. The U.S. government has declared that both individuals are wrongfully detained.
The situation involving U.S. soldier Gordon Black in Russia has raised concerns about the safety of Americans traveling to the country. The arrest on theft charges and subsequent detention of Black has been confirmed by the Russian court in Vladivostok, with a pre-trial detention period set for at least two months. The court cited the need to prevent Black from evading charges and avoiding responsibility for the alleged theft of property belonging to another individual. The incident is said to be unrelated to political matters or espionage, with the focus being on a domestic crime that the Russian authorities are investigating.
The soldier’s detention while traveling from South Korea to the U.S., with a stop in Russia to meet a woman he had a romantic relationship with, has attracted attention from U.S. officials, including Rep. Michael McCaul. The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee has warned against travel to Russia in light of these events. The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory already advises against all travel to Russia, amidst other Americans being held in Russian prisons under disputed circumstances. The case of Gordon Black adds to the list of individuals, including journalists and former military personnel, detained in Russia, with the U.S. government claiming they are being wrongfully held.
The confirmation of U.S. soldier Gordon Black’s arrest and detention in Russia on theft charges has prompted reactions from both Russian and American authorities. The case has been clarified by the court in Vladivostok, stating the reasons for Black’s pre-trial detention until July 2. The incident is said to revolve around a domestic crime involving the alleged theft of property from another person, rather than political motivations or espionage. The concerns raised by Rep. Michael McCaul regarding the safety of Americans in Russia highlight the broader issue of U.S. citizens facing challenges while traveling abroad, particularly in countries where diplomatic and legal complexities are present.
