Who is Gordon Black? US Army officer arrested during secret trip to Russia

The US Army has confirmed that an American soldier – Staff Sergeant Gordon Black – was arrested last week during an unauthorized visit to the Russian Far East port city of Vladivostok.

Black, 34, was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to Fort Cavazos, Texas, when he traveled to Vladivostok – which sits near the Chinese and North Korean borders on the Sea of ​​Japan – according to the Associated Press.

He did so without the approval of his superiors and is said to have made the trip to visit a woman with whom he was romantically involved, NBC News reported. US officials told NBC that Black was accused of stealing from a woman.

U.S. Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith said in a statement that Black was detained “on allegations of criminal misconduct.”

“The Russian Federation has notified the U.S. Department of State of criminal detention in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,” Smith said. “The Army has notified his family and the U.S. State Department is providing appropriate consular assistance to the soldier in Russia.”

“Given the sensitivity of this matter, we cannot provide further details at this time.”

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told The Hill that the State Department is “actively seeking consular access to this individual who was not in Russia on behalf of or in connection with the U.S. government.”

Russian news channels Telegram, including Baza, reported that Black was on duty in the South Korean port of Pyeongtaek when he met a Russian woman returning to Vladivostok. Black recently visited the woman, during which they argued. Gordon is accused of assaulting the woman and stealing 200,000 rubles; around $2,200.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed this Newsweek Earlier Tuesday it said that “a U.S. citizen was arrested in Russia. If a U.S. citizen is detained abroad, consular officials will attempt to provide him or her with all reasonable assistance. “We take seriously our obligation to assist U.S. citizens abroad and provide all appropriate assistance.”

“We have no higher priority than the safety of U.S. citizens abroad,” the spokesman said. “We reiterate our strong warnings about the danger posed to U.S. citizens within the Russian Federation. U.S. citizens living or traveling in Russia should depart immediately, as stated in our Russia Travel Advisory.”

“For privacy and other reasons, we cannot provide further details at this time.”

The Vladivostok office of the Russian Foreign Ministry told state news agency Tass on Tuesday that the case had “no connection to politics or espionage.” The office added: “As far as we know, a domestic crime is suspected in this case. For this reason, the Russian Foreign Ministry mission in Vladivostok is not closely following the case of the US citizen.”

Russian authorities have arrested several US citizens in recent years, whom Washington DC accuses of doing so deliberately to gain more influence in bilateral relations, which have fallen to their lowest level since the Cold War.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a post shared on X – formerly known as Twitter – that he was “deeply concerned” about the reports.

“Putin has a long history of taking American citizens hostage,” McCaul said. “A warning to all Americans – as the State Department has said, it is not safe to travel to Russia.”

The State Department is currently suggesting that Americans not travel to Russia and that those who do “exercise increased caution due to the risk of unlawful detention.”

“Do not travel to Russia due to the unforeseeable consequences of the unprovoked all-out invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, the risk of harassment and singling out of U.S. citizens for detention by Russian government security officials, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws,” limited flights to and from Russia, the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, and the possibility of terrorism,” said the travel advisory, last updated in September 2023.

“U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should leave immediately.”

5/7/24 5:50 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from the State Department.