Russia detains US soldier who arrived for romantic date

An American soldier was detained in Russia last week. He had travelled to the city of Vladivostok in the Russian Far East to meet a woman with whom he had a romantic relationship.

Source: NBC News, citing a US Army spokesperson

Details: Four US officials said that the soldier, Staff Sergeant Gordon Black, was stationed in South Korea and travelled to Russia on his own accord, not on official business.

The officials said that he had completed his tour of duty and was on his way back to the United States when he stopped in Vladivostok to visit a woman with whom he had been romantically involved. They added that he travelled there without the permission of his superiors and is now in a detention centre.

The soldier is accused of "stealing from a woman," as the officials stressed. It was not immediately clear whether this was the same woman he was visiting.

US Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith said that Black was detained on Thursday.

Smith said the soldier was detained in Vladivostok "on charges of criminal misconduct."

Quote from Smith: "The Russian Federation notified the US Department of State of the criminal detention in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The Army notified his family and the US Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia. Given the sensitivity of this matter, we are unable to provide additional details at this time."

More details: Black is one of many Americans detained in Russia, including several civilians.

The arrests of Americans in Russia have become more frequent as relations between the two countries have fallen to Cold War lows.

The US has accused Russia of targeting Americans and using them as a bargaining chip.

Background: 

• Among the most prominent detained US citizens are Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was jailed in March last year, and former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018. 
• The US government stated that both Gershkovich and Whelan had been detained unlawfully.

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