A US citizen has been arrested in Russia, the State Department says

A US citizen has been arrested in Russia and is being held in Moscow, the US State Department reported Sunday. According to Russian state media, the man is accused of drug trafficking.

The press service of a court in Moscow’s Khamovniki district told Interfax news agency that the man was an ex-parachutist and musician, accusing him of organizing a drug trade involving youths.

The State Department identified the man as Michael Travis Leake. Embassy officials attended his arraignment on Saturday and “will continue to monitor the case closely,” and are working to provide “all appropriate consular assistance,” the State Department said.

News of the arrest came six months after Brittney Griner, an American basketball star imprisoned in Russia on drug charges, was released in a prisoner swap. Ms. Griner was detained for nearly 10 months on cannabis possession charges and her case became an international one as she was seen as a hostage held by Moscow in response to international sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.

The United States advises all Americans not to travel to Russia. Many Americans and citizens of European countries left Russia after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when Western sanctions and flight bans were imposed on the country. It was not immediately clear how many remained in Russia.