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US authorities have yet to explain reason for Butina’s transfer to another jail — attorney

Maria Butina is charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of Russia within the US

Maria Butina EPA-EFE/Press Service of Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation

Maria Butina

© EPA-EFE/Press Service of Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation

WASHINGTON, August 20. /TASS/. The US authorities have not yet explained the reason for transferring Russian citizen Maria Butina to a jail in Alexandria, Virginia, defense attorney Robert Driscoll said.

He told TASS earlier that the US authorities had not informed him about their plans in advance.

A thing to note is that many cases concerning the national security of the United States are heard in Alexandria, and Butina is charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of Russia within the US.

Butina case

Russian citizen Maria Butina, 29, was arrested in Washington DC on July 15.

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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." The next court hearing in Butina’s case is scheduled for September 10.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow considered Washington’s charges 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.

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