Current:Home > BackA US citizen has been arrested in Moscow on drug charges-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
A US citizen has been arrested in Moscow on drug charges
View Date:2024-12-24 09:08:30
MOSCOW (AP) — A U.S. citizen has been arrested on drug charges in Russia, officials said Tuesday, a move that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions over Ukraine.
The arrest of Robert Woodland Romanov was reported by the press service of the Moscow courts. It said the Ostankino District Court ruled on Saturday to keep him in custody for two months on charges of preparing to get involved in illegal drug trafficking pending an official investigation. It didn’t offer any details of the accusations.
There was no immediate comment from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
Russian media noted that the name of the accused matches that of a U.S. citizen interviewed by the popular daily Komsomolskaya Pravda in 2020.
In the interview, the man said that he was born in the Perm region in the Ural Mountains in 1991 and adopted by an American couple when he was two. He said that he traveled to Russia to find his Russian mother and eventually met her in a TV show in Moscow.
The man told Komsomolskaya Pravda that he liked living in Russia and decided to move there. The newspaper reported that he settled in the town of Dolgoprudny just outside Moscow and was working as an English teacher at a local school.
The news about the arrest come as Washington has sought to win the release of jailed Americans Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich. The U.S. State Department said last month that it had put multiple offers on the table, but they had been rejected by the Russian government.
Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was detained in March while on a reporting trip to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, about 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) east of Moscow. He has remained behind bars ever since on espionage accusations that he and the Journal have denied. The U.S. government has declared him to be wrongfully detained.
Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, has been jailed in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges that both he and the U.S. government dispute. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Analysts have pointed out that Moscow could be using jailed Americans as bargaining chips amid U.S.-Russian tensions that soared when Russia sent troops into Ukraine. At least two U.S. citizens arrested in Russia in recent years — including WNBA star Brittney Griner — have been exchanged for Russians jailed in the U.S.
veryGood! (95)
Related
- Florida Man Arrested for Cold Case Double Murder Almost 50 Years Later
- Wife of SpongeBob's Voice Actor Clarifies He's Not Dating Ariana Grande, Being Mistaken for Ethan Slater
- Tony Bennett Dead at 96: Anderson Cooper, Carson Daly and More Honor the Legendary Singer
- Billie Eilish Mourns Death of Beloved Dog Pepper
- High-scoring night in NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo explodes for 59, Victor Wembanyama for 50
- Woman found dead after suspected bear encounter near Yellowstone
- Kate Gosselin Says Son Collin Has “Multiple Psychiatric Diagnoses” in Response to Estrangement Allegation
- Salma Hayek’s Secret to Maintaining Her Appearance Will Surprise You
- Ex-Marine misused a combat technique in fatal chokehold of NYC subway rider, trainer testifies
- Shop the Summer Shoes From Schutz That Everyone’s Buying Right Now
Ranking
- Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul referee handled one of YouTuber's biggest fights
- 3 injured in shooting outside Philadelphia bar, police say
- Robin Thicke's Fiancée April Love Geary Fires Back at Haters Who Criticize Her Photos
- Married To Medicine Star Quad Webb's 3-Year-Old Great Niece Drowns In Her Pool
- Skai Jackson announces pregnancy with first child: 'My heart is so full!'
- Feel Free to Salute These Secrets About Saving Private Ryan
- Carlee Russell's disappearance was 'hoax'; charges possible, police say
- You'll Flip Over Tarek El Moussa's Fitness Transformation Photos
Recommendation
-
Padma Lakshmi, John Boyega, Hunter Schafer star in Pirelli's 2025 calendar: See the photos
-
Kylie Jenner Shares BTS Photo From Day of Her Reunion With Jordyn Woods
-
What the Mattel CEO Really Thinks of the Satirical Barbie Movie
-
How Barbie's Signature Pink Is a Symbol for Strength and Empowerment
-
DWTS’ Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten Have the Best Reaction to Fans Hoping for a Romance
-
Make Your Dream Aesthetic Kitchen a Reality with These Organizers from Amazon
-
Obamas' family chef found dead in pond on Martha's Vineyard: Police
-
Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $250 Crossbody Bag for Just $59