US soldier jailed in Russia was not authorized to be there, but went anyway to meet a woman [Video]

A United States soldier who was arrested in Russia last week, after reportedly flying there to meet a woman, was in the country without authorisation from the Army.

Staff Sergeant Gordon C Black, 34, was taken into custody on Thursday in Vladivostok, on Russia’s east coast, after travelling from his posting in South Korea.

On Tuesday, the US Army told The Independent that Sgt Black was supposed to be heading back to Fort Cavazos in Texas.

“Black did not request official clearance and DoD did not authorise his travel to China and Russia,” Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, said. “Official and leave travel is currently restricted pursuant to the DoD Foreign Clearance Guide.”

Sgt. Black, who enlisted in 2008 and was deployed in Iraq between October 2009 and September 2010, had been assigned to …