Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, a 34-year-old U.S. soldier, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony for theft and making death threats against his Russian girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk. Black was arrested in Vladivostok after Vashchuk accused him of stealing 10,000 rubles and threatening her life during an argument. He pleaded partially guilty to theft but denied making death threats, claiming the theft was unplanned and out of necessity. Black’s arrest and conviction add to the list of Americans detained in Russia amid strained U.S.-Russia relations due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. State Department has warned citizens against traveling to Russia, and the Pentagon requires military personnel to get clearance for international travel, which Black did not obtain. His family and lawyer plan to appeal the verdict.