An American soldier was arrested in Russia. He went to Vladivostok for a romantic date

An American soldier was detained in Russia last week. He had traveled to the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok to meet a woman with whom he allegedly had an affair. Four US officials said the soldier was stationed in South Korea and traveled to Russia without approval, according to NBC News.

Officials said he was off duty and was supposed to return to the United States, but traveled to Vladivostok to visit a woman he was having a relationship with. They added that he had traveled there without permission from his superiors and was now in a detention centre.

The soldier is accused of “stealing from a woman,” officials said. It was not immediately clear if this was the same woman he was visiting.

US Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith said the US soldier was detained on Thursday.

Smith said the soldier was detained in Vladivostok “on charges of criminal misconduct.”

“The Russian Federation has notified the US State Department of criminal detention under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The Army has notified the family and the US State Department is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia. Given the sensitivity of this matter, we cannot provide further details at this time,” Smith said.

The soldier is just one of a long line of Americans detained in Russia, including several civilians.

Arrests of Americans in Russia have become more frequent as relations between the two countries have sunk to historic lows.

The US has accused Russia of targeting Americans and using them as bargaining chips.

Among the most prominent US citizens detained are Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Hershkowitz, who was jailed last March, and ex-soldier Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018. The US government said both Hershkowitz and Whelan had were detained illegally.

Publisher: RK

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