WASHINGTON – An American soldier jailed in Russia last week sympathized with Russia’s views on the Ukraine war and reiterated Russian talking points condemning NATO in a video posted to the TikTok account of his Russian ex-girlfriend. .
“I think NATO is pretty aggressive,” said the Army chief of staff. Gordon C. Black, 34, told an online audience in a video featuring his then-girlfriend, Alexa Viktorovna. “To be honest, I understand Russia’s position. It’s clear that they want to protect their country.”
Black was arrested on May 2 on charges of “theft of personal property” in Vladivostok, a Pacific port city near Russia’s borders with North Korea and China, after traveling to the hostile country to visit the once-stressed United States. Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said. Tuesday’s post.
Mr. Black traveled to Vladivostok on April 10 after completing his tour of duty as an Army training officer in South Korea. He was scheduled to leave the overseas base directly for his next duty station in Texas, Smith said.
“Rather than return to the U.S. mainland, Black flew from Incheon. [South] “For personal reasons, I went from South Korea to Vladivostok, Russia via China,” she explained. “Black did not seek formal permission and [the Defense Department] Travel to China and Russia was not allowed. Currently, official and vacation travel is restricted in accordance with the Department of Defense’s Foreign Customs Guide. ”
It is unclear whether Viktorovna influenced Black’s pro-Russian stance or whether she was part of a “honeypot” plot targeting married sergeants.
Sabrina Singh, a deputy Pentagon spokeswoman, said Tuesday that the Army has launched an administrative investigation “to determine the facts and circumstances” of Black’s travel.
There is no further information about the nature of the allegations against Black, nor is it clear who made the reports.
Mr. Black’s foreign policy comments echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s frequent propaganda claims that the NATO security alliance undermines Russia’s ability to defend itself, as well as Russia’s history of reflected a false claim of having legal rights.
Viktorovna (also known as Alexandra Vashchuk) expressed similar sentiments in a TikTok post.
“It looks like NATO has moved into not only Ukraine, but America and South Korea. I think he should be thrown in the trash,” she said, apparently referring to her boyfriend, an American soldier stationed in South Korea at the time. That seems to be what you’re referring to.
Black was also critical of President Biden, agreeing with Viktorovna’s remark in a video first reported on Tuesday that “Trump is better.” radio free europe. The soldier also blamed Biden for tensions between the United States and Russia, saying in a video featuring the pair that relations “definitely got better under the Trump administration.”
“i haven’t – [Biden] We cannot handle the situation properly,” he said. “And I think that’s one of the big reasons why we’re where we are now.”
“This isn’t just Russia. We’re seeing this in other countries as well,” Black added, citing the deteriorating relationship between the United States and another adversary, China.
In many of the videos, Vikotrovna treated Black harshly, calling him names and making fun of him in both English and Russian. In one article, she complained that TikTok removed an earlier video she posted about black people, and the social media platform said the video violated community guidelines with “humiliating scenes.” It is said that he claimed that Radio Free Europe.
In the referenced scene, Black gives Viktorovna an iPad, but Viktorovna returns the favor with a simple pair of socks.
In another video, Viktorovna is seen saying to Black the words “Victory Day” in Russian before asking him to turn the camera back to her.
“Let’s celebrate Victory Day, everyone!” she said in Russian in the video. “Today we are going to torture Americans and Germans.”
Viktorovna called Black her “husband” in another video in which Black repeatedly badmouthed Russia. Wearing a T-shirt that read “I don’t swear” in Russian, she repeatedly called Mr. Black “crazy” and jokingly asked where he learned the profanity. I wondered.
She further described a scenario in which Russian soldiers would consider executing him if he said foul language.
“They’ll say, ‘Maybe we should kill him.'” Maybe he’s sick? ” she said in Russian.
Black has been in the Army for more than 15 years, joining the Army as an infantryman in 2008, Smith said. Black served in Iraq from October 2009 to September 2010 and in Afghanistan from June 2013 to March 2014.
Mr. Black will remain in pretrial detention until at least July 2. If convicted, Mr. Black could face up to five years in prison in Russia.
