US Soldier Detained in Russia, Not Suspected of Espionage
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, a U.S. Army soldier, has been detained in Russia on charges of theft.
Details: Black reportedly flew to Russia without clearance from the Defense Department and was arrested in the city of Vladivostok. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Black’s case is unrelated to politics or espionage, referring to the charges against him as a “household crime.” Black was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning to his home base in Texas at the time of his arrest. Black’s arrest raises numerous questions, with the theft accusation remaining vague. The charges reportedly stem from allegations that Black stole from a woman while visiting Russia. He will remain in police custody until at least July 2 as his case unfolds.
Key Quotes: A State Department spokesperson said, “We reiterate our strong warnings about the danger posed to U.S. citizens inside the Russian Federation. U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately, as stated in our Travel Advisory for Russia.”
How the Media Covered It: Associated Press (Lean Left bias) provided further details about the circumstances surrounding Black's travel to Russia, mentioning he had a girlfriend there and did not seek clearance for his travel, an action that is a violation of Pentagon policy. Breitbart News (Right bias) highlighted Russia's claims that the charges are unrelated to politics or espionage and don't involve Russia's national security. This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Arrested US soldier awaiting hearing in Russia on theft charges
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...
From the Center
US soldier detained in Russia, US Army says
A U.S. soldier has been detained in Russia on charges of criminal misconduct, the U.S. Army said on Monday, that country's latest high-profile detention of an American.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the soldier had been based in South Korea. Another U.S. official said the soldier was accused of stealing from a woman.
The Army did not offer details on the charges, citing the sensitivity of the matter. It said Moscow notified the U.S. State Department of the soldier's criminal detention in accordance with the Vienna...
From the Right
Russia Confirms U.S. Soldier Arrested for ‘Household Crime,’ Says He Is Not a Suspected Spy
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday the arrest of an American soldier, identified by multiple news agencies as Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, in Vladivostok, stating that he faces charges of “household crime” and is not suspected of being a spy.
“The case has no relation to politics or espionage,” the Foreign Ministry office in Vladivostok told the Russian news agency Tass.
The office stated that the Foreign Ministry had little interest in the case because it did not seem to involve Russia’s national security.
“As far as we understand, a...
AllSides Picks
May 13th, 2024
May 18th, 2024
More News about Russia from the Left, Center and Right
From the Left
From the Center
From the Right
