A U.S. soldier was detained in Russia last week, a National Security Council spokesperson confirmed Monday.
“The State Department is actively seeking consular access to this individual, who was not in Russia on behalf of or in affiliation with the U.S. government,” the spokesperson told The Hill in a statement.
They referred further questions about the individual’s employment to the Pentagon, which referred The Hill to the Army.
National security spokesman John Kirby also told reporters Monday that White House is aware of the detained soldier.
NBC first reported that a service member who had been stationed in South Korea traveled to Russia on his own and was not on official business when he was arrested on May 2 in in Vladivostok, a port city near the borders with China and North Korea.
The soldier is accused of stealing from a woman, four U.S. officials told the outlet.
The NSC spokesperson said the U.S. takes seriously its commitment to assist American citizens abroad while reiterate its strong warnings that “U.S. citizens should not travel to Russia at this time — period.”
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