Russia announced on Tuesday that it will keep a US soldier arrested last week for theft in the far east of the country until the beginning of July.
The US Army said the soldier, identified by a court in Valdivostok as Gordon Black, had been detained on criminal charges, but did not provide further details.
Black is another American who has ended up in a Russian prison amid rising tensions between Moscow and Washington.
Jelena Oleneva, the press representative of the court, informed that Black was detained on May 2. He has been remanded in custody on charges of theft until July 2, the Russian propaganda mouthpiece “RIA Novosti” reports.
The Russian tabloid “Izvestia” and the social media channel “Baza”, which has sources close to law enforcement agencies, report that Black visited his girlfriend in Vladivostok. He allegedly beat up a Russian citizen and stole her money and alcohol.
The US television channel “NBC News” reports that the soldier went to Russia as a private individual and had no official duties.
Several US citizens have been detained by Russian authorities in recent years. Critics accuse Moscow of using the detainees to exchange Russian citizens convicted in the US.
