US Soldier Held For "Criminal Misconduct" While Visiting Girlfriend In Russia, Espionage Ruled Out

A US Army soldier stationed in South Korea was detained in Russia on May 2, according to the US military. Staff Sgt. Gordon Black had finished his deployment and was heading back to the US when he made a side trip to Vladivostok, Russia. He had flown there to visit a woman he was romantically involved with, NBC News quoted US officials as saying. They added that he had traveled there without permission from his superiors and that he is being held in pretrial confinement. The soldier had been in the process of changing duty stations from South Korea back to Fort Cavazos in Texas, according to reports.