A U.S. soldier held in Russia denied threatening to kill his Russian girlfriend while also pleading "partially" guilty to theft charges in a court in the Far East city of Vladivostok on Monday.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black was arrested in early May in Vladivostok, where he was visiting a Russian woman he met and dated while stationed in South Korea.
The 34-year-old was detained after the woman, identified by Russian media outlets as Alexandra Vashuk, reported him to the police following an argument.
Russian media quoted Black as saying he was "partially guilty" of theft but that it was not premeditated, and that he was "not guilty" of allegedly threatening to kill Vashuk.
Vashuk had accused Black of stealing around 10,000 rubles ($113) from her and said he had physically attacked her. Black said she had started an argument after drinking.
The American soldier said the pair met in October 2022 on the dating app Tinder in South Korea and had dated there. Vashuk later invited him to visit Vladivostok.
Black said he did not plan to take the money and intended to give it back, saying he took it because he could not access his U.S. bank account inside Russia due to sanctions.
He faces up to five years in prison.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
