The Pentagon has released new details about the US soldier who was detained in Russia on theft charges on May 2.
A US Army spokeswoman said the soldier completed his tour of service in South Korea on April 10. He was due to return to the United States but instead travelled to the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok via China "for personal reasons."
The soldier "did not request official clearance and the Department of Defence did not authorize his travel to China and Russia," the spokeswoman said. He was arrested for "theft of personal property" on May 2.
The US embassy in Moscow was informed of the soldier's arrest by the Russian Interior Ministry on May 3.
According to the spokeswoman, the soldier joined the US Army in 2008 and was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Russian state media reported on the case earlier on Tuesday. The soldier was arrested in Vladivostok, state news agency TASS reported, citing the local justice authorities.
A representative for the Russian Foreign Ministry in Vladivostok described the arrest as involving normal criminal activity. "The case has nothing to do with politics or spying," TASS cited him as saying.
According to US media, citing US government representatives, the soldier had been stationed in South Korea and had travelled to Russia on his own initiative.
When asked about the case, US National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby only said: "We are aware of this case." He gave no further details and referred further questions to the US Defence Department.
US Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith told reporters that the army had notified his family and the US State Department was providing "appropriate consular support" to the soldier.