Russian court sentences US soldier accused of robbery to almost 4 years in prison

A court in Russia’s far eastern city of Vladivostok on Wednesday sentenced a U.S. soldier arrested earlier this year to three years and nine months in prison for robbery and death threats, Russian media said.

Sergeant Gordon Black, 34, flew to Vladivostok, a port city on the Pacific, to see his girlfriend and was detained after the woman accused him of robbing her, according to U.S. officials and Russian authorities.

Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti They reported from the courtroom of the Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok that the judge also ordered Black to pay 10,000 rubles ($115) in damages. The prosecution requested a sentence of four years and eight months in prison for Black.

Black’s sentencing further complicates relations between Washington and Moscow, which are increasingly strained as the war in Ukraine drags on.

Russia is holding a number of American citizens in its prisons, including executive Paul Whelan and reporter from the Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich. Washington maintains that both were wrongfully arrested and has attempted to negotiate their release.

Also among those detained are Travis Leake, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a professor in Moscow who was sentenced to 14 years in prison also on drug charges; and Alsou Kurmasheva and Ksenia Khavana, both with dual nationality.

The State Department strongly advises U.S. citizens not to travel to Russia.

Black was on leave and in the process of returning to his base at Fort Cavazos, Texas, from South Korea, where he was stationed at Camp Humphreys.

Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith explained that Black signed back into the country but, “instead of returning to the U.S. mainland, he flew from Incheon, Republic of Korea, through China to Vladivostok, Russia, for personal reasons.” .

Under Pentagon policy, members of the military must have authorization from a security official or commander to travel abroad.

The U.S. Army said last month that Black had not applied for the permit and did not have clearance from the Department of Defense. Given the hostilities in Ukraine and the threats to Washington and his military, it is highly unlikely that he would have received the go-ahead to travel to Russia.

Black’s girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, told reporters earlier this month that the altercation “was a simple domestic dispute” during which Black “became aggressive and attacked (her).”

“Then he stole money from my wallet and I didn’t give him permission to do it,” he said.

On Wednesday, he told the Russian media Gazeta.ru who considered the sentence “quite humane” and described Black as “violent and unable to control himself.”

U.S. authorities had said Black, who is married, met Vashchuk in South Korea.

The woman apparently lived in South Korea and last fall the couple had some type of domestic dispute or altercation, they added. After that, Vashchuk left the country. It was not clear if she was forced to do it or if authorities had something to do with it.

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