A Russian court ruled that the American soldier detained last week in Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East, caused “significant harm” to the alleged victim.
When declaring his detention until July 2, the Pervomaysky district court in Vladivostok justified the preventive measure with the fact that the soldier, identified as Gordon Black, had “secretly stolen citizen T.’s property, causing her damage significant”, says a statement, cited by Reuters.
“By choosing the preventive measure in the form of detention, the court came to the conclusion that the American citizen B. (Black) – under the weight of the accusations – could hide from the preliminary investigation authorities and the court in order to avoid responsibility” , the court stated.
The Russian Interior Ministry in Vladivostok said on Tuesday that a 32-year-old woman had filed a complaint against the 34-year-old suspect.
The two had met in South Korea and the North American traveled to Russia to visit her. However, the two argued and she later filed a police report accusing him of stealing money. The soldier was detained at a local hotel, after purchasing a plane ticket to return home.
The Pentagon said that before his detention in Russia, Black not only violated Army rules by traveling to Russia without authorization, but he did so after passing through China.
The US Administration said it was “monitoring” the soldier’s situation.
In recent years, several US citizens have been arrested and sentenced to long prison terms in Russia.
Washington, which supports Ukraine militarily and financially against the Russian Army, accuses Moscow of wanting to exchange American prisoners for Russian citizens detained in the United States.
Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and former correspondent for Agence France Presse in Moscow, was detained by the Russian security services (FSB) during a report in the Urals, in March 2023.
The journalist, a US citizen, is accused of espionage and could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Such a severe penalty has never been imposed on a foreign journalist since the end of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
The journalist rejects the accusations, as do the United States authorities and the newspaper where he works.
Russia has never substantiated the accusations or publicly presented evidence in this case.
The entire process was classified as secret.
Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who works for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), has been detained since October 2023 for failing to formally register in the country, as required by the Russian authorities.
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