MOSCOW - Russian police have detained a US citizen in Moscow for “violence” against a law enforcement officer, investigators said on Aug 14.

       “At night, on Aug 12, 2024, a US citizen was brought to a Moscow police station in connection with his hooliganism,” Russia’s Investigative Committee said, in a statement.

       “The suspect refused to provide his identity documents, after which he used violence against a law enforcement officer,” it said.

       The statement said the man, who was not named, would be charged and investigators would ask a court that he be remanded in custody.

       The incident comes two weeks after the release of US reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US marine Paul Whelan and 14 others from Russian jails in the biggest East-West prisoner exchange since the Cold War.

       There are still several US citizens and other Western nationals in Russian prisons on a variety of charges.

       In Washington, the State Department said it could not comment in detail on the case due to privacy laws.

       “We’re aware of these reports of another American citizen being arrested in Russia,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

       “We’re working to get as much information as we can, working to ascertain the consular situation and see if consular access is available,” Mr Patel said. AFP