PENTAGON — The U.S. Army has confirmed that a U.S. soldier was arrested last week during an unauthorized visit to the Russian far eastern port city of Vladivostok, one of two recently detained Americans in Russia.
According to Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith, Staff Sergeant Gordon C. Black had been stationed in South Korea and signed out on permanent change of station leave on April 10 en route to Fort Cavazos, Texas. However, instead of returning to the continental United States, Black flew through China to Vladivostok for “personal reasons.”
Smith added that Black did not request official clearance and the Department of Defense did not authorize his travel to China and Russia. This unauthorized visit has raised concerns and the Army is currently investigating the incident.
Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Tuesday that any leave to Russia was “strictly prohibited” according to the Department of Defense’s foreign clearance guide. The White House also confirmed “two separate cases” of U.S. citizens being detained in Russia, without identifying the second detainee.
The second American has been identified by Russian officials as William Russell Nycum, who was detained 10 days ago in Moscow on petty hooliganism and alcohol charges, according to the Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the State Department is actively seeking consular access to both individuals, neither of whom are in Russia on behalf or in affiliation with the U.S. government.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow was informed by a Russian Ministry of Interior official on May 3 that Black was arrested a day earlier in Vladivostok for theft of personal property. Smith stated that the Army has no further information about the charge at this time and that Black will remain in a pretrial detention facility until his next hearing.
According to RFE/RL, a TikTok account of Black’s romantic partner, Vladivostok native Aleksandra Vashchuk, contains numerous videos of the couple together in South Korea. In one video, Black is seen wearing his U.S. Army fatigues and kissing the camera of a woman, presumably Vashchuk, as she speaks in Russian.
Vashchuk refers to Black as her husband and affectionately as “pindos,” a Russian slang word for Americans that roughly translates to “Yankee punk,” according to RFE/RL. The Associated Press reports that unnamed officials say Black is accused of stealing from his “girlfriend.”
The detainment of Black has raised concerns among U.S. officials, with Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stating that he is “deeply concerned” by the reports.
McCaul also warned Americans about traveling to Russia, stating that “Putin has a long history of holding American citizens hostage.” He urged caution and advised against traveling to Russia, echoing the State Department’s warning that it is not safe to do so.
Among those currently being held in Russia are journalists Alsu Kurmasheva of RFE/RL and Evan Gershkovich of The Wall Street Journal, who have been detained on charges that 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, which he and the U.S. government have repeatedly rejected.
The detainment of Black and other Americans in Russia highlights the importance of following proper procedures and obtaining official clearance before traveling to foreign countries. The U.S. government is actively working to secure consular access to the detained individuals and ensure their safety.
As tensions between the U.S. and Russia continue to rise, it is crucial for individuals to exercise caution and follow all necessary protocols when traveling abroad. The safety and well-being of American citizens should always be a top priority, and the U.S. government will continue to work towards the safe return of those currently detained in Russia.
