Russia IS off limits. Apparently, he was flying from ROK to CONUS to see his RUSSIAN wife, who he was having problems with. But somehow he was able to get on a flight to Vladivostok, where he met up with his RUSSIAN girlfriend. It's not clear how he changed his travel or got clearance, or what was going on with the girlfriend that made him decide to fly to Russia rather than go home to his wife. Quite possible she was blackmailing him. It goes without saying that this Staff Sergeant wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed...