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Russia Detains U.S. Soldier In Far East On Criminal

By RFE/RL May 06, 2024

A U.S. soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing after traveling there without informing his superiors, adding to a list of Americans being detained by Moscow amid deteriorating relations with Washington.

U.S. Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith confirmed in a statement on May 6 that the soldier, who was not identified, was detained four days earlier in Vladivostok, a military and commercial port in Russia's Far East, on charges of criminal misconduct.

She said Russia notified the U.S. and the Army told the soldier's family. She gave no further details in the statement due to "the sensitivity of this matter."

Russian officials have yet to comment publicly on the matter, which was first reported by NBC News in the United States.

The soldier's detention adds to a list of U.S. citizens being held in Russia under various circumstances and comes as tensions between Moscow and Washington are at the highest levels since the Cold War.

Among those being held are journalists Alsu Kurmasheva of RFE/RL and Evan Gershkovich of The Wall Street Journal, who have been detained on charges they, their employers, and their supporters reject as politically motivated.

Also being held is Paul Whelan, who in 2020 was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges that he and the U.S. government have repeatedly rejected.

It wasn't immediately clear if the detained soldier was being considered as absent without leave (AWOL) by the U.S. military.

Details of the incident remain sketchy, with one report saying the soldier had been arrested in Vladivostok for allegedly stealing from a woman there.

"The Russian Federation notified the U.S. Department of State of the criminal detention in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations," Smith said in the statement.

"The Army notified his family and the U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia."

Officials said the soldier had been stationed in South Korea - where the U.S. military has about 28,500 troops based -- and was in the process of returning home to the United States.

U.S. officials said the soldier traveled instead to Russia.

"I am deeply concerned by reports that a U.S. Army officer has been detained in Russia. Putin has a long history of holding American citizens hostage," Congressman Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Committee, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The State Department in September 2023 issued a "Do Not Travel" warning to U.S. citizens in the background of American support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's full-scale invasion of that country. The note cited "the singling out of U.S. citizens for detention by Russian government security officials" in its warning.

Asked about the incident, a State Department spokesperson would only confirm that "a U.S. citizen has been detained in Russia."

"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," the spokesperson said.

The incident comes less than a year after U.S. soldier Travis King, also stationed in South Korea at the time, slipped into North Korea across the heavily fortified demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas.

North Korea later expelled King, who was returned to the United States and eventually charged with desertion.

With reporting by AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-russia-vladivostok-soldier- detained/32935533.html

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Russia Detains U.S. Soldier In Far East On Criminal