An American soldier who fled the U.S. while facing serious charges has now shown up in a Russian military video, surprising many with his new role. Wilmer Puello-Mota, a 27-year-old former Air Force member, was supposed to be in court in Rhode Island in early January to face charges including possession of child pornography and forgery. Instead, he boarded a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, on January 7, and disappeared from the U.S. radar.

A recent video released by the Russian Defense Minis...