In a case that further strains U.S.-Russia relations, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was sentenced in Vladivostok, Russia, to three years and nine months in prison. The charges stem from allegations that Black stole from his girlfriend during a visit to the city earlier this year, as well as making threats against her. Despite the prosecution’s request for a harsher sentence of nearly five years, the court ruled to impose a reduced term.
Black, who was stationed in South Korea and on leave from his base at Fort Cavazos, Texas, had traveled to Russia without proper clearance, a violation of Pentagon policy. He was arrested after his girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, accused him of a domestic dispute where he allegedly stole money from her wallet.
The case highlights the growing number of Americans detained in Russia, complicating diplomatic efforts between the two nations, already tense due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
