US soldier Gordon Black sentenced to nearly four years in Russian jail for theft and threats
- US soldier Gordon Black sentenced to nearly four years in Russian jail for theft and threats.
- Russian state media reported that Gordon Black pleaded 'partially guilty' to the theft charges.
- The trial of US soldier Gordon Black in a Russian court resulted in a nearly four-year prison sentence.
A US soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, was sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony for theft and threatening to kill his girlfriend. He pleaded partially guilty to stealing money from her but denied the murder threat charges. Black, who met his girlfriend in South Korea, was arrested in Vladivostok and will appeal the verdict. He was not authorized to travel to Russia and did not request official clearance. The trial took place amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine. Other Americans, including journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan, are also detained in Russia. Black's family, employer, and the Biden administration have dismissed the charges against him as baseless. The next hearing in his case is scheduled for June 19.