Russian woman arrested in U.S. on suspicion of espionage

She faces up to 5 years in prison

today at 22:27, views: 2833

29-the summer citizen of Russia Maria Butina detained in the US on 15 July on suspicion of espionage. This is stated in the statement of the Ministry of justice. Court of the district of Columbia left her in custody until July 18 — on the specified day will hold hearings on her case.

Maria Butina/vk.com

Maria Butunoi on this charge could face up to five years in prison. The American prosecution says that, starting in 2015, she exercised contrary to the interests of the United States activities in the district of Columbia (Washington). It is argued that Butina was an assistant of some officials in the Russian Federation, and discussed with him via the Internet, personally the use of ties with American politicians in the interests of Russia. In 2016 Maria Butina came to the US on a student visa.

The Ministry of justice, in particular, argue that Butina made contact with American political figure in Moscow, which then worked in the United States. According to authorities, she tried to establish contacts in the political circles with the goal of advancing Russia’s interests, supporting informal communication. In 2016 she allegedly wrote to a certain US citizen by e-mail, intending to organize in the U.S. the event aimed to influence the opinions of American politicians towards Russia.

In social networks Maria Butina was represented by the leader of the movement “gun rights” and promoted, in fact, that right. She was the assistant of Senator Alexander Torshina, which in 2015 was appointed Chairman of the Central Bank. He was listed in the sanctions list of the USA.

In 2017 Butina census in the social network article Time magazine announcing it as “About me, the Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank Alexander Torshin, “the Right to arms,” National rifle Association, the Rockefellers and, of course, U.S. President Donald trump”. The article was about a meeting of the Russians with the famous American Republican party, which was held at the Washington restaurant. At this meeting, along with Torshin was Mary Butina, named as “young activist-activist”.

The authors of the article argued that Americans at the invitation of Butynol flew to Russia. In 2015, according to the publication, Butina and Torshin was in Tennessee and participated in fundraising for the campaign of the Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker. Butinai managed to ask the Trump in Las Vegas at the start of his campaign – she asked the future President of the USA about the possibility of ending the “devastating sanctions” against Russia – then trump gave evasive-encouraging response.

In may 2017 Butina pushing at Vkontakte publication of the Washington post – article about the contacts “Right to arms” with the American National rifle Association, “trying to see “the long arm of the Kremlin” and Moscow’s influence in presidential elections in the United States.” According to Butini, this is speculation: simply the views of many Americans and Russians about the need to freely own guns are the same.

Obviously, the announcement of the arrest of Maria Butunoi immediately after the meeting of Putin and trump in Helsinki is “otvetochka” the President of the United States from his opponents in the American political establishment.

See photo essay on the topic:

Maria Butina is detained in the United States: photos of beauties “Russian spy”

18 photos