A U.S. soldier was detained in Russia final 7 days, a U.S. Army spokesperson stated in a assertion.
He had been stationed in South Korea and traveled to Russia on his very own and not on formal company, in accordance to 4 U.S. officers.
The soldier is accused of thieving from a lady, the officials reported.
The soldier was detained on May perhaps. 2, U.S. Army spokesperson Cynthia O. Smith, stated in a assertion.
In a statement, Smith claimed that the soldier was apprehended in Vladivostok, Russia “on fees of prison misconduct.”
“The Russian Federation notified the U.S. Department of Condition of the prison detention in accordance with the Vienna Conference on Consular Relations,” Smith explained. “The Military notified his spouse and children and the U.S. Office of Point out is giving appropriate consular assistance to the Soldier in Russia. Given the sensitivity of this make any difference, we are not able to offer further particulars at this time..”
Chairman of the Home Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, stated he is “deeply anxious” by reviews that a soldier was detained in Russia.
“Putin has a very long historical past of keeping American citizens hostage,” McCaul reported in a put up shared on X. “A warning to all Americans—as the State Division has explained, it is not safe to vacation to Russia.”
Latest travel direction from the U.S. Point out Office restricts journey for citizens to Russia. “Physical exercise increased caution owing to the chance of wrongful detentions,” according to the State Office advisory. The Pentagon also restricts vacation for Defense Division staff.
The soldier, who officers did not title, is one particular of a range of People in america detained in Russia, which include quite a few civilians.
Arrests of Us residents in Russia have improved as the romantic relationship among the two nations around the world has sunk to Cold War lows, The Involved Press described. The U.S. has accused Russia of concentrating on People in america and applying them as bargaining chips, according to the AP.
Among the most popular U.S. citizens to be detained are Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was jailed very last March, and former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018. The U.S. governing administration has reported that both of those Gershkovich and Whelan are wrongfully detained.
WNBA star Brittney Griner spent 10 months in Russian penal colonies for drug-connected expenses but was introduced in a uncommon prisoner trade for Russian arms seller Viktor Bout in 2022.
