US soldier arrested in Russia, accused of stealing from girlfriend

Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East, is a major military and commercial Pacific port. Photo / AP

An American soldier visiting a girlfriend in Russia’s port city of Vladivostok was arrested on charges of stealing from her and remained in custody, several US officials said.

The officials said on Monday the soldier, Staff Sergeant Gordon Black, 34, was stationed in South Korea and was returning home to Fort Cavazos in Texas. Instead, Black, who is married, travelled to Russia to see a long-time girlfriend, they said. His arrest further complicates the United States’ relations with Russia that have grown increasingly tense as the war in Ukraine drags on.

US Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith confirmed a soldier was detained on Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. She said Russia notified the US and the Army told the soldier’s family.

“The US Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Smith said.

According to officials, the Russian woman had lived in South Korea, and last autumn she and Black got into some type of domestic dispute or altercation. After that, she left South Korea. It isn’t clear if she was forced to leave or what, if any, role Korean authorities had in the matter.

Officials also said Black, an infantry soldier, did not tell his unit he was going to Russia, and did not receive any authorisation to go there. They said he was essentially on leave, as he left Korea to redeploy back home to Fort Cavazos.

It’s unclear, however, if US service members are specifically prohibited from travelling to Russia, although the State Department strongly advises US citizens not to go.

The arrest comes less than a year after American soldier Travis King sprinted into North Korea across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas. North Korea later announced it would expel King, who was returned to the US. He was eventually charged with desertion.

Russia is known to be holding several Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The US government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.

Others detained include Travis Leake, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher in Moscow who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual citizens Alsu Kurmasheva and Ksenia Khavana.

The soldier’s arrest in Russia was first reported by NBC News.