INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Updated with White House comments.Russia said Tuesday that it will hold an American soldier who was detained in the Far East over the
weekend in custody until early July on theft charges.The United States Army said the soldier, identified by a Russian court in the city of
Vladivostok as Gordon Black, had been detained on criminal charges but withheld details citing the sensitivity of the case.The detention of
Black adds to the number of Americans held in Russia at a time of deep tensions with Washington over Moscow's full-scale invasion of
Ukraine.A Russian court spokeswoman said Black, who was detained on May 2, would be held until July 2 for theft, according to comments
carried by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.The Russian tabloid Izvestia and the Baza Telegram news channel, which is suspected to have
connections to law enforcement agencies, said Black had beaten his Russian girlfriend during a visit to Vladivostok and stolen money and
alcohol from her.NBC News said the American soldier traveled to Russia on his own and was not there on official business.White House
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said late Monday that Washington was aware of Black's arrest in Russia.Russian authorities
have arrested several United States citizens in recent years, with critics accusing Moscow of using detainees as bargaining chips in
exchange for Russians jailed in the West.
