Russian court says US soldier charged with theft causing ‘significant’ damage

US soldier Gordon Black, who has been detained in the Russian city of Vladivostok until July 2, has been charged with theft causing significant damage, a Russian court said.

The detention of Black, who the Pentagon said traveled to Russia without authorization, presents yet another diplomatic headache for the United States, which has warned US citizens against all travel to Russia.

He was detained in early May in Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East.

The Pervomaisky District Court of Vladivostok said in a statement that it had decided on the preventive measure to detain Black until July 2 for “secretly stealing the property of citizen T., causing the latter significant damage.”

“When choosing the preventive measure in the form of detention, the court came to the conclusion that US citizen B. (Black) – under the weight of the charges – could hide from the preliminary investigation authorities and the court to avoid responsibility,” the court said in the statement.

Earlier, the court’s press service identified the soldier as Gordon Black.

The Russian interior ministry in Vladivostok said on Tuesday that a 32-year-old woman had filed a complaint against the 34-year-old suspect.

The two had met in South Korea.

The American had come to Vladivostok to visit her, the two had an argument, and she later filed a police report accusing him of stealing money, it said.

He was arrested in a local hotel, having bought a plane ticket to return home.