A U.S. soldier was detained in Russia last week, a U.S. Army spokesperson said in a statement.
According to four U.S. officials, he had been stationed in South Korea and traveled to Russia on his own and not on official business.
The soldier is accused of stealing from a woman, the officials said.
The soldier was detained on May. 2, U.S. Army spokesperson Cynthia O. Smith, said in a statement.
In a statement, Smith said that the soldier was apprehended in Vladivostok, Russia “on charges of criminal misconduct.”
“The Russian Federation notified the U.S. Department of State of the criminal detention following the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,” Smith said.
“The Army notified his family and the U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the Soldier in Russia. Given the sensitivity of this matter, we cannot provide additional details at this time..”
Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said he is “deeply concerned” by reports that a soldier was detained in Russia.
“Putin has a long history of holding American citizens hostage,” McCaul said in a post shared on X. “A warning to all Americans—as the State Department has said, it is not safe to travel to Russia.”
Current travel guidance from the U.S. State Department restricts citizens’ travel to Russia. According to the advisory, “Exercise increased caution due to the risk of wrongful detentions.” The Pentagon also restricts travel for Defense Department personnel.
