An American soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, has been detained in Russia for two months on suspicion of theft. The Pervomaisky District Court of Vladivostok ruled that Black will remain in detention until July 2. The court accused Black of committing secret theft of a citizen's property, causing significant psychological damage.
Black, who was not authorized by the Defense Department to travel to Russia, left his unit in South Korea without official clearance nearly a month ago. He had out-processed from his station at Eighth Army, US Forces Korea on April 10 and was supposed to move back to the US to be stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas. Instead, he flew from South Korea through China to Vladivostok for personal reasons.
A Russian Foreign Ministry representative stated that the case is not related to politics or espionage but is considered a purely domestic crime. The representative office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vladivostok mentioned that they do not closely monitor the fate of the American citizen.
This incident occurs amidst heightened tensions between the US and Russia due to the ongoing war with Ukraine. Several Americans are currently being held in Russia, including individuals declared wrongfully detained by the US State Department.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman expressed deep concern over the detention of the US Army officer in Russia. Black, who enlisted in the Army in 2008 as an infantryman, has previously deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The situation has raised alarms about the safety of Americans traveling to Russia, with warnings issued by the State Department. The history of Russian President Vladimir Putin holding American citizens hostage adds to the concerns surrounding this case.
