An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials. The soldier, who was stationed in South Korea and in the process of returning home to the United States, instead traveled to Russia. The soldier’s identity has not been disclosed, and the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.
Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, confirmed that the soldier was detained in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct. The U.S. Department of State is providing consular support to the soldier in Russia.
It is unclear if the soldier is considered absent without leave (AWOL). This arrest comes less than a year after another American soldier, Travis King, crossed into North Korea and was later expelled and charged with desertion.
Russia is known to be holding several Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who have been designated as wrongfully detained by the U.S. government. Other detainees include Travis Leake, Marc Fogel, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Ksenia Khavana.
The soldier’s arrest in Russia was first reported by NBC News. The U.S. government has been working to negotiate for the release of these detained individuals.