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Maria Butina: Russian gun activist at heart of US Kremlin row Maria Butina: Russian gun activist in US conspiracy case
(5 months later)
Maria Butina loves guns, has ties to a top Russian banker, and has now landed in an American jail accused of conspiring against the US government at a time when relations with Moscow are in ferment. Maria Butina loves guns, has ties to a top Russian banker, and - after months in a US jail - now admits conspiring against the US government during a period in which relations with Moscow went into freefall.
Her arrest was revealed within hours of President Donald Trump's heavily criticised summit with Vladimir Putin, and Russia smells a rat. She has pleaded guilty to being directed by a Russian government official to "establish unofficial lines of communication with Americans having power and influence over American politics".
Moscow sees a political motive aimed at undermining their Helsinki summit, but in the US this is the eye-catching story is of a 29-year-old accused of being a "covert Russian" who offered sex in return for a job. The 30-year-old Russian activist has not been accused of being a spy. And her case has no connection with the Mueller inquiry into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 Trump election victory.
Ms Butina denies the charges against her. She is not accused of being a spy. But it does involve meddling with Republicans and Russia has smelled a rat, accusing the US of breaking her down in solitary confinement.
Her arrest in July was revealed within hours of President Donald Trump's heavily criticised Helsinki summit with President Vladimir Putin. And Russia detected a political motive aimed at undermining the meeting.
President Putin spoke out this week, complaining that "our Butina" was facing jail and had nothing to hide.
"I asked all the heads of our secret services what was happening. No-one knows anything about her," he said.
Who is Maria Butina?Who is Maria Butina?
Born in the southern Siberian city of Barnaul in 1988, according to her Facebook page, she has enjoyed using weapons ever since she was a child, picking up a gun for the first time at the age of 10. Born in the southern Siberian city of Barnaul in 1988, according to her Facebook page she has enjoyed using weapons ever since she was a child, picking up a gun for the first time at the age of 10.
She went to the local Altai state university to study political and educational science, according to her Facebook page. She appears to have been politically engaged and active in the university debating society.She went to the local Altai state university to study political and educational science, according to her Facebook page. She appears to have been politically engaged and active in the university debating society.
Ms Butina then set up a private furniture company, travelling widely abroad and remaining politically active with the youth wing of Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. And yet she attracted praise from opposition leader Alexei Navalny who spoke of her as a "decent person". Butina then set up a private furniture company, travelling widely abroad and remaining politically active with the youth wing of Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. And yet she attracted praise from opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who spoke of her as a "decent person".
Promoting gun rights was clearly a deep passion, as she founded a group called the Right to Bear Arms and called for the sale of short-barrelled firearms to civilians to be made legal.Promoting gun rights was clearly a deep passion, as she founded a group called the Right to Bear Arms and called for the sale of short-barrelled firearms to civilians to be made legal.
This, she argued, was "one of the last wishes of Mikhail Kalashnikov", the inventor of the AK-47, and her movement attracted support nationwide. The Russian edition of GQ magazine wrote an admiring profile, complete with photos of her in high heels and Versace, with revolvers in her hands.This, she argued, was "one of the last wishes of Mikhail Kalashnikov", the inventor of the AK-47, and her movement attracted support nationwide. The Russian edition of GQ magazine wrote an admiring profile, complete with photos of her in high heels and Versace, with revolvers in her hands.
Her self-defence drive fell flat because of government opposition.Her self-defence drive fell flat because of government opposition.
But her movement continued to grow and one of its members was Alexander Torshin, a member of the Russian senate and deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank.But her movement continued to grow and one of its members was Alexander Torshin, a member of the Russian senate and deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank.
In 2012 he became a life member of the National Rifle Association in the US. His ties with the NRA endured and Maria Butina became his "unpaid special assistant".In 2012 he became a life member of the National Rifle Association in the US. His ties with the NRA endured and Maria Butina became his "unpaid special assistant".
Mr Torshin is under sanction from the US Treasury, and is being investigated by the FBI over allegations of funnelling money to the NRA to aid the Trump campaign. Mr Torshin was placed under US Treasury sanctions in April, and is being investigated by the FBI over allegations of funnelling money to the NRA to aid the Trump campaign.
Moving to America Although unnamed in the plea deal, Mr Torshin is clearly the Russian with whom Butina has admitted conspiring. He retired from the bank at the end of November.
Maria Butina began travelling to the US for NRA conventions, and in 2015 she attended a Trump campaign event in Las Vegas, asking the presidential candidate about his views on US sanctions in Russia. Moving from Russia to US
By 2016 she had a student visa for a Master's at American University in Washington DC. Butina began travelling to the US for NRA conventions, apparently armed with a plan called The Diplomacy Project, aimed at setting up unofficial channels aimed at influencing US policy.
Her LinkedIn profile says that she was focusing on "cyber policy, the Internet of Things, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology". In 2015 she attended a Trump campaign event in Las Vegas, asking the presidential candidate about his views on US sanctions in Russia.
According to US court filings, she was living with a 56-year-old American. In some of her photos on social media, she is seen with Paul Erickson, a South Dakota-based conservative political activist. In December 2015 she invited NRA officials to Moscow, and they held meetings with "high-level Russian government officials" organised by Mr Torshin.
By 2016 she had a student visa for a Master's degree at American University in Washington DC.
Her LinkedIn profile said she was focusing on "cyber policy, the Internet of Things, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology".
She was living at the time with 56-year-old Paul Erickson, a South Dakota-based conservative political activist. He is alleged to have helped her pursue her plan.
She attended a National Prayer Breakfast in 2017 in the US when President Trump gave a speech. "It is important to support Trump morally," she was quoted as saying in the Russian press.She attended a National Prayer Breakfast in 2017 in the US when President Trump gave a speech. "It is important to support Trump morally," she was quoted as saying in the Russian press.
Political expert Andrei Kolyadin used her as an interpreter at the event and told Interfax news agency she had been considering what she should do after graduation in May.Political expert Andrei Kolyadin used her as an interpreter at the event and told Interfax news agency she had been considering what she should do after graduation in May.
Whatever her plans, gun rights have remained close to her heart and she has been highly active on social media, with accounts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and, until recently, a blog on LiveJournal. Whatever her plans, gun rights remained close to her heart and she kept several active social media accounts as well as a blog.
She has also never shied away from a public profile. In one piece on the Russian Snob website she said her dream was "to live in a prosperous, highly-developed country, leading in the world, and without migration". She never shied away from a public profile. In one piece on the Russian Snob website she said her dream was "to live in a prosperous, highly developed country, leading in the world, and without migration".
In another interview in 2016 with the Russian-based Guns website, she said she hoped that the Russian government would allow her organisation "to work with young children in schools" like the NRA in the US. In another interview in 2016 with the Russian-based Guns website, she said she hoped that the Russian government would allow her organisation "to work with young children in schools" - like the NRA in the US.
'No spy qualities''No spy qualities'
Alexander Torshin has not yet commented on her arrest. Alexander Torshin has made no comment on her arrest.
However, the FBI alleges he was her main point of contact in Russia and the two shared a string of messages. Prosecutors argue her aim was to carry out a "covert influence" campaign for the Russian government. However, Butina was a main point of contact in Russia and the FBI said the two shared a string of messages.
For now she faces charges that carry sentences of several years in jail. Since her arrest she has been held at an adult detention centre in Alexandria, Virginia, and sometimes in solitary confinement, say her lawyers.
Her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, has said she is not an agent of the Russian Federation and that there is no evidence against her. Under her plea deal on Thursday, Maria Butina admitted to one charge of conspiracy. She is likely to face up to six months in jail, although she has already served five.
Her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, said in July she was an "ambitious young woman" and not an agent of the Russian Federation. At the time he was adamant there was no evidence against her.
Her father Valery has called the charges against her "psychopathy and a witch-hunt".Her father Valery has called the charges against her "psychopathy and a witch-hunt".
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