Russia arrests US citizen for alleged hooliganism

Russian police have arrested a US citizen for allegedly attacking a police officer. The suspect was taken to a Moscow police station on Monday night because of his “hooliganism”, the Russian Investigative Committee announced on Wednesday. He will be charged soon. Investigators will also request that the man remain in custody.

The police had previously been called to a hotel because the American was behaving aggressively and was also said to have used “non-normative vocabulary” – meaning swear words. The man ignored the officers’ requests to change his behavior and was eventually arrested, the Interfax agency reported. At the police station, the man hit a policewoman, said a police spokesman.

In addition to hooliganism, the American is also facing criminal charges for using violence against a representative of the state. The authorities announced the name of the man, born in 1978, who allegedly failed to present the registration card issued upon entry to the hotel.

Historic prisoner exchange between Russia and the West

Two weeks ago, in the largest prisoner exchange with Western states since the end of the Cold War, Russia released US citizens in exchange for Russian agents in Western custody. Among them were former soldier Paul Whelan and journalist Evan Gershkovich. Other citizens of the USA and other Western states are still in Russian custody.

Russia is accused of repeatedly sentencing Americans to long prison terms as bargaining chips in order to exchange them for imprisoned compatriots abroad.