Russia reduces prison sentence for US soldier convicted of theft
Russia has jailed a number of Americans in recent years as tensions between Moscow and the West grew. Some, like corporate security executive Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and teacher Marc Fogel, were designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained and released in prisoner swaps.
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A few others remain jailed in Russia on drug or assault convictions. They include Robert Gilman, 72, who was handed a 3 1/2-year sentence after being found guilty of assaulting a police officer following a drunken disturbance on a train, and Travis Leake, a musician who was convicted on drug charges and sentenced to 13 years in prison in July 2024.
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Black was on leave and in the process of returning to his home base at Fort Cavazos, Texas, from South Korea, where he had been stationed at Camp Humphreys with the Eighth Army.
The U.S. Army said Black signed out for his move back home and, 'instead of returning to the continental United States, Black flew from Incheon, Republic of Korea, through China to Vladivostok, Russia, for personal reasons.'
Under Pentagon policy, service members must get clearance for any international travel from a security manager or commander.
The U.S. Army said last month that Black hadn't sought such travel clearance and it wasn't authorized by the Defense Department. Given the hostilities in Ukraine and threats to the U.S. and its military, it is extremely unlikely he would have been granted approval.
Black's girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, told reporters last year that 'it was a simple domestic dispute,' during which Black 'became aggressive and attacked' her, stealing money from her wallet. She described Black as 'violent and unable to control himself.'
U.S. officials have said that Black, who is married, met Vashchuk in South Korea.
According to U.S. officials, she had lived in South Korea, and last fall she and Black got into some type of domestic dispute or altercation. After that, she left South Korea. It isn't clear if she was forced to leave or what, if any, role South Korean authorities had in the matter.
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The orders also tighten rules on wireless transmission tech, which Singleton said would disrupt the ability of Chinese drones to transmit data back to Beijing. States and the federal government are increasingly wary about Chinese technology. At least six states and Congress have passed laws to restrict government purchases of Chinese drones because of concerns about spying. That's part of a slew of more than 240 anti-China measures state legislatures have considered this year. But most commercial drones sold in the United States are made in China, and many Americans have come to rely on them. The Chinese models are widely known for their high performance and are generally significantly cheaper than American-made drones. The FAA has generally prohibited drones from operating outside operators' line of sight because of safety concerns, but the agency has granted hundreds of waivers to Amazon and some other companies, including utilities and railroads, to use drones farther away. Drone manufacturers and users have long wanted rules that spell out the framework for such flights because they see that as a natural next step to unlock the technology's potential. The head of the trade advocacy group Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, or AUVSI, testified to Congress this week that the FAA missed a deadline for approving such rules last year. On Friday, Michael Robbins, chief executive officer of AUVSI, applauded the Trump administration for advancing policies that he said would ensure U.S. leadership in drone innovation, security, operation and manufacturing. He called it 'a historic day for the drone industry in the United States.'
