Washington, 7 May 2024 (dpa/MIA) - 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.