A US soldier, identified as Army Staff Sgt. Gordon D. Black, has been detained in Russia on charges of criminal misconduct. According to the US Army, Black was arrested on May 2 in Vladivostok, a port city in Russia’s far east, while traveling alone and not on official business. The Russian authorities have accused him of stealing from a woman, and the US State Department is providing consular support and seeking access to him.
The White House is also aware of the situation, and National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby reiterated the administration’s warning that US citizens should not travel to Russia due to the risk of detention and limited ability of the US Embassy to assist. This incident has raised concerns about the safety of US citizens in Russia, particularly given the country’s history of detaining Americans.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) expressed his deep concern about the reports, citing Russian President Putin’s history of holding American citizens hostage. The US has accused Russia of targeting its citizens for political leverage, while Russia maintains that those detained have broken the law.
This incident is the latest in a series of detentions of US citizens in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been in custody for a year on espionage charges, and former Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020 on similar charges. The US has repeatedly called for the release of its citizens and warned against traveling to Russia.
