Arrested US soldier awaiting hearing in Russia on theft charges
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army soldier arrested in Russia last week is being held in a pretrial detention facility waiting for a hearing, the Army said Tuesday.
Staff Sgt. Gordon Black flew to Russia to see his girlfriend, according to U.S. officials, and the Army confirmed Tuesday that he had not sought clearance for the international travel and it was not authorized by the Defense Department.
Under Pentagon policy, service members must get clearance for any international travel from a security manager or commander and that was not done. The State Department strongly advises U.S. citizens not to go to Russia, and given the war in Ukraine and ongoing threats to the U.S. and its military, it is extremely unlikely he would have been granted approval.
Black was on leave and in the process of returning to his home base at Fort Cavazos in Texas, from South Korea, where he had been stationed at Camp Humphreys with the Eighth Army. The U.S. officials said Black, who is married, met his girlfriend in South Korea. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.