Staff Sergeant Gordon C Black, a 34-year-old United States soldier stationed in South Korea, has been detained in Vladivostok, Russia, following allegations of theft. The incident occurred last week when Sgt Black, who was supposed to return to Texas after his leave, traveled to Russia to meet a woman he described as his girlfriend. He was arrested after allegedly stealing money from her, which Russian authorities are investigating as a “household crime” unrelated to espionage. He is currently held in pre-trial detention.

In a separate incident, William Russell Nycum, an American tourist and English language tutor, was sentenced to 10 days in jail for petty hooliganism after reportedly breaking into a children’s library in Moscow while intoxicated. The court stated that Nycum displayed “obvious disrespect to society, citizens, and public order.” Found naked in the library’s courtyard, Nycum’s behavior has been attributed to alcohol consumption. He was in Russia on a six-month tourist visa.

These cases come at a time of heightened US-Russia tensions following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The US embassy in Moscow has acknowledged the arrests but has not commented further due to privacy concerns. Both incidents highlight the legal challenges faced by American citizens in Russia.