WASHINGTON, August 19. /TASS /. Russian citizen Maria Butina was transferred from a Washington jail to a prison in Alexandria (Virginia), her attorney Robert Driscoll told TASS on Saturday.

The attorney said he was not notified of the transfer beforehand and the reasons behind the move were also not explained to him.

The transfer took place on Friday evening. Driscoll visited Butina on Saturday morning.

Maria Butina, 29, was arrested in Washington on July 15, on the eve of the Helsinki summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump. The Russian gun rights activist is facing charges of conspiracy for conducting activities in the interests of a foreign state. Investigators claim that she was engaged in these activities without registering as a foreign agent at the US Department of Justice.

The FBI said Butina arrived in the United States in August 2016 on a student entry visa and took up studies at the American University. She received the master’s degree in international relations in May 2018, according to her lawyer.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier 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.