A court in Vladivostok, Russia, has convicted an American soldier of theft and making threats of murder. Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison after being accused by his girlfriend of stealing from her during a visit to the Pacific port city. The judge also ordered Black to pay damages of 10,000 rubles.
Black, who was on leave from his base in South Korea, flew to Vladivostok for personal reasons without proper authorization. His girlfriend described the incident as a domestic dispute in which Black became aggressive and stole money from her wallet.
This case comes amid tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the arrests of American citizens, including journalists and corporate executives. The U.S. State Department strongly advises against travel to Russia due to the current situation.
Black's girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, characterized the sentence as 'humane' and described Black as 'violent and unable to control himself.' U.S. officials revealed that Black and Vashchuk met in South Korea, where she had been living before the altercation that led to her departure.
Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and threats to U.S. interests, Black's unauthorized trip to Russia was deemed highly unlikely to receive approval from the Defense Department. The U.S. Army confirmed that Black had not sought proper clearance for international travel, as required by Pentagon policy.
