Maria Butina, 29, was
arrested in Washington DC on July 15.
MOSCOW, July 20.
/TASS/. The situation regarding Russian citizen Maria Butina’s arrest in the
United States is a total farce, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly
Antonov said at a session of the Valdai International Discussion Club on
Friday. According to him, Moscow will continue demanding her release.
"What they are
doing is a farce, a tragedy," the ambassador said.
"The charges
brought against her are absolutely illegal, as well as attempts to prevent
Russian diplomats form visiting her, and attempts to break her, actually. She
is having a hard time, so I have heard from diplomats who visited her," he
added.
"We are trying
to help and we will continue demanding her release so that she can go
home," Antonov stressed.
Butina’s case
Maria Butina, 29, was arrested in Washington DC on July 15.
According to the US
Department of Justice, she is suspected of acting "as an agent of Russia
inside the United States by developing relationships with US persons and
infiltrating organizations having influence in American politics, for the
purpose of advancing the interests of the Russian Federation."
Russian Foreign
Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow considered Washington’s
allegations against Butina to be groundless and politically motivated.
According to her, Russia has been doing everything possible to protect the
woman’s legitimate rights and interests.
Source: ITAR-TASS
20-07-2018
