The American soldier who was arrested last week in the far east of Russia has been detained until July 2 on suspicion of "theft," according to the Vladivostok court handling the case. Court spokesperson Elena Olieniva stated, as reported by the RIA Novosti news agency, that "the Primorsky Region Court in Vladivostok has detained the American soldier Gordon Black until July 2 under the article related to theft."
Russian newspaper Izvestia quoted an unnamed source saying that the American soldier met a woman from Vladivostok, having connected online, and spent several days with her before assaulting her and stealing 200,000 rubles, approximately $2,200.
The U.S. military announced on Monday that one of its soldiers had been detained in Russia last week on charges of committing a criminal offense, while multiple Americans are currently detained in Russia for various charges.
Meanwhile, U.S. Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith reported that "on May 2, 2024, Russian authorities in Vladivostok detained an American soldier on charges of committing a criminal offense." She added that Russia had notified the U.S. State Department of the matter, which is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia, and that the military has informed the soldier's family.
