A soldier from the United States who was arrested in Russia last week will continue to be held until July while the Pentagon looks into the reasons for his trip, a Russian court announced on Tuesday.
The detention of Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black has been prolonged until July 2 after his arrest on May 2 in Vladivostok, Russia, for the alleged theft of personal property, stated the Pervomaisky District Court of Vladivostok. said in a statement.
The Russian court said, “In choosing to detain him, the court found that the US citizen under suspicion might try to hide to avoid responsibility, which would hinder the case proceedings and investigation.”
The court mentioned that Gordon is accused of secretly stealing property from a civilian and causing significant damage. However, neither the U.S. Army nor the court has given more details about the reasons for the arrest, although four US officials told NBC News that Black has been accused of stealing from a woman he was visiting. told NBC News that Black has been accused of stealing, apparently from a woman he was visiting.
Reuters reported that the Russian interior ministry stated a 32-year-old woman filed a complaint after an argument with Black, who was arrested in a local hotel while in possession of a plane ticket to return home. The U.S. Army spokesperson Cynthia O. Smith stated that Black was stationed at Camp Humphreys in South Korea until he took a permanent change of station (PCS) leave on April 10 to travel to Fort Cavazos, Texas.
On his own decision, Black chose to fly from Incheon, South Korea, through China to Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East for “personal reasons,” as per Smith.
Black's mother, Melody Jones,
His mother, Melody Jones, stated to ABC News’s told ABC News’s “Good Morning America” that her son went to Russia to visit his girlfriend. She mentioned that the two met at a club in South Korea over a year ago, but the woman was deported to Russia from South Korea after a dispute with Black last fall.
The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday that the U.S. Army is investigating whether Russia's intelligence services lured Black to Russia.
Deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh stated at a Tuesday press conference, “The Army has initiated an administrative investigation to ascertain the details and circumstances surrounding his trip, but whether there will be consequences for his actions is something the Army will look into during their investigation.”.
Black did not seek official clearance to travel to Russia and did not have authorization from the Defense Department to travel to Russia or through China, the Army added.
The Hill approached the Russian Embassy and the Pentagon for additional comments.
The incident occurs amid growing arrests of Americans who travel to Russia, as tensions persist between the two nations following Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. The Kremlin asserts that it only arrests those who break the law, while the U.S. claims that Russia is targeting American citizens for political gain.
