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Maria Valerievna Butina[a] (Russian: Мари́я Вале́рьевна Бу́тина; born 10 November 1988) is a Russian politician, political activist, journalist, and former entrepreneur who was convicted in 2018 of acting as an unregistered foreign agent of Russia within the United States.[1][2][3]

Key Information

Butina worked as an assistant for Aleksandr Torshin, a former member of the Federation Council, member of Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, and deputy governor of the Central Bank of Russia.[4] In this role, she tried to infiltrate conservative groups in the US, including the National Rifle Association, as part of an effort to promote Russian interests in the 2016 United States presidential election.[4][5][6] The Senate Intelligence Committee later concluded that she attempted to persuade the Trump campaign to establish a secret communications back channel with Russia.[7]

In July 2018, while residing in Washington, D.C., Butina was arrested by the FBI and charged with acting as an agent of the Russian Federation "without prior notification to the Attorney General."[8] In December 2018, she pleaded guilty to felony charges of conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent of the Russian state under 18 U.S.C. §951.[9][10][11][12][13] In April 2019, a federal judge sentenced her to 18 months in prison.[14] She served around five months at Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution. Her 9-month pretrial prison term[15] was counted towards her sentence. She was released and deported back to Russia in October 2019.[16] She publicly denied being a Russian spy.[17] In 2021, she was elected to the State Duma as a member of United Russia.

Early life and education

[edit]

Butina was born on 10 November 1988, in the Siberian city of Barnaul, in Altai Krai, about 210 miles (340 km) east of the present Kazakhstan–Russia border. Her mother was the chief engineer of an energy enterprise and her father Valery Viktorovich Butin was an entrepreneur who established a furniture manufacturing business in Barnaul. She has one sister and one maternal niece, Kira.[18][19]

She graduated with honors at the age of 17 from Gymnasium Number 22 with in-depth study of the English language, and from school years she strove for active public activity.[20] She studied political science at Altai State University and also received a teaching degree. At age 19, she was elected to the public council of Altai Krai in the last direct election for the council.[18][21]

Business and lobbying career

[edit]
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At 21, Butina launched a furniture retail business in Altai Krai.[18] In 2011, she moved to Moscow and sold six of her seven furniture stores to start an advertising agency.[18][22]

Further in 2011, Butina founded Right to Bear Arms [ru] (Russian: Право на оружие), described as a Russian gun-rights organization.[23] She began traveling back and forth to the US, initially with Aleksandr Torshin,[22] who was then a Senator in the Federation Council of Russia (and a half-month later became Acting Chairman/Speaker of this Senate of Russian Federation) and a leading member of United Russia.[22] He had hired her as his "special assistant" that year.[4] In 2012, they lobbied the council to expand gun rights.[23] Butina resigned from her position as the head of Right to Bear Arms in late 2014.[24]

According to Russians interviewed by RFE/RL, the organization was notable for avoiding opposition to Putin during the 2011–2013 Russian protests, for its "quixotic" support for a cause with little public support and strong government opposition – Putin himself had told Russians "I am deeply convinced that the free flow of firearms will bring a great harm and represents a great danger for us" – for introducing legislation in the Russian parliament that "never went anywhere", and for receding from public view after Butina stepped down as its head.[25] According to US prosecutors who prosecuted Butina on charges of conspiracy and acting as a foreign agent, her love of guns was a ruse to advance Russia's agenda within the Republican Party.[4] Anders Åslund described Right to Bear Arms as a "front organization with the purpose of infiltrating American groups and forging cooperation with the National Rifle Association of America."[26]

In 2013, she met Republican political operative Paul Erickson in Russia. The two became close, started dating, and eventually moved in together. In 2015, she emailed him a description of a proposed project to influence the Republican Party to be friendlier to Russia, through the NRA.[11] In January 2015, Torshin became deputy governor of the Central Bank of Russia, and Butina worked as his special assistant until May 2017.[6][27] In 2017, Butina told The Washington Post that she never worked for the Russian government.[28]

In August 2016, she moved to the US on a student visa and enrolled as a graduate student in the School of International Service at American University.[29] While a student at American University, Butina got drunk on at least two separate occasions and bragged to her fellow students about her contacts in the Russian government; on both occasions, her classmates reported her to law enforcement, sources told CNN.[30]

In February 2016, Butina and Erickson began a South Dakota business, Bridges LLC.[27][31] Erickson later said the company was established in case Butina needed any monetary assistance for her graduate studies.[32] In 2018, she completed a master's degree in international relations.[33]

Involvement in U.S. politics

[edit]

National Rifle Association

[edit]

As part of her work as a foreign agent, Butina worked to infiltrate the National Rifle Association on behalf of Russia.[5][34][35]

Torshin and Butina established a cooperative relationship between the NRA and Right to Bear Arms. Torshin has attended NRA annual meetings in the United States since at least 2011. Following the 2011 meeting, then NRA President David Keene expressed his support for Torshin's "endeavors" and extended an invitation to the 2012 meeting.[36] Torshin also attended NRA annual meetings in 2012 and 2013.[37]

Butina in 2014

Butina and Torshin attended the 2014 NRA annual meeting as special guests of former NRA president Keene.[27][38] Butina attended the Women's Leadership Luncheon at the 2014 meeting as a guest of former NRA president Sandy Froman.[28][38] Butina presented to then NRA president Jim Porter a plaque from Right to Bear Arms. Afterwards, she tweeted "Mission accomplished". Butina and Torshin also attended the 2015 NRA annual convention.[39]

In 2015, a number of NRA officials attended Right to Bear Arms's annual gun conference in Russia. Among them were Keene, gun manufacturer and NRA first vice president Pete Brownell,[40] conservative American political operative Paul Erickson, and Milwaukee County sheriff David Clarke. One of their hosts was Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who in 2014 was sanctioned by the White House following Russia's annexation of Crimea. Clarke's trip cost $40,000, with all expenses paid by the NRA, Pete Brownell (an NRA board member and CEO of a gun-parts supply company) and Right to Bear Arms.[28][41][42] According to a disclosure Clarke filed, Right to Bear Arms paid $6,000 to cover his meals, lodging, transportation and other expenses.[22] During the meeting, Clarke met the Russian foreign minister and attended a conference at which Torshin spoke.[28][42] In November 2016, Torshin tweeted that he and Butina were lifetime NRA members.[37][43]

Republican Party

[edit]

Butina has attempted to develop ties to conservative American politics. In a supporting affidavit to the government's support for pre-trial detention following her indictment in United States of America v. Maria Butina, the FBI stated that she had successfully sought ties to the Republican Party, where it is referred to as "POLITICAL PARTY 1".[3] According to The Daily Beast, she has presented herself as a "Russian central bank staffer, a leading gun rights advocate, a 'representative of the Russian Federation,' a Washington, D.C. graduate student, a journalist, and a connection between Team Trump and Russia" in order to gain access to "high-level contacts" in Washington.[27] At the 2014 NRA annual meeting, Butina took pictures with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former U.S. Senator and 2012 presidential candidate Rick Santorum.

Obama administration officials

[edit]

In 2015, Torshin, then the Russian Central Bank deputy governor, and Butina met the Treasury undersecretary for international affairs, Nathan Sheets, to discuss U.S.-Russian economic relations.[44] Separately, they also met with a Federal Reserve vice chairman, Stanley Fischer, and with a State Department official.[44][45][46]

Donald Trump campaign

[edit]

In a June 2015 article published in The National Interest, a conservative American international affairs magazine, just before Trump announced his candidacy for president, she urged better relations between the United States and Russia,[37] saying, "It may take the election of a Republican to the White House in 2016 to improve relations between the Russian Federation and the United States." The next month, Butina attended FreedomFest, where Trump gave a speech, and asked him from the audience about ending U.S. sanctions against Russia, to which he replied, "I don't think you'd need the sanctions."[47] Butina hosted a birthday party attended by Erickson and Trump campaign aides shortly after the 2016 election.[37][b]

Relationships with Trump associates

[edit]

Butina was in a relationship with Overstock.com CEO and Trump conspiracy theorist Patrick M. Byrne. Byrne claimed the FBI encouraged him to pursue Butina, a claim retired FBI officials denied.[50] In 2019, Byrne divested himself of all shares of Overstock after his relationship with Butina was revealed.[51]

For five years, prosecutors claimed, Butina lived with and maintained an intimate relationship with activist and fraudster Paul Erickson. During Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016, Erickson attempted to develop a back-channel between the NRA and the Russian government. Erickson was jailed and convicted of fraud unrelated to his relationship with Butina, then pardoned by Trump in his last week in office.[52]

United States of America v. Mariia Butina, aka Maria Butina

[edit]

Complaint

[edit]
United States of America v. Mariia Butina, aka Maria Butina
CourtU.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
DefendantMariia Butina
ProsecutionErik M. Kenerson[53]
Citation18 U.S.C. § 951.
Court membership
Judge sittingDeborah A. Robinson

On 15 July 2018, Butina was arrested in Washington DC, and charged with acting in the United States as an agent of a foreign government; specifically the Russian Federation, without prior notification to the Attorney General, a conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, to wit, 18 U.S.C. §951 (foreign relations, agents of foreign governments), in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371 (conspiracy).[54]

After her arrest, it was mistakenly reported she was charged with a violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (22 U.S.C. §11 foreign agents and propaganda). United States law dictates that all lobbyists representing foreign governments must register as such with the Department of Justice.[10] Her attorney said that "the allegations of the indictment are essentially that her only illegal act was not registering."[55]

On 18 July, Butina pleaded not guilty,[56] and a District Court judge ordered her jailed pending trial.[56] She was also said to be cooperating in a federal fraud investigation in South Dakota.[57] Butina was held in solitary confinement in Alexandria Detention Center.[58]

Affidavit

[edit]
English Wikisource has original text related to this article:

According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, from as early as 2015 and continuing through at least February 2017, Butina worked at the direction of a high-level official in the Russian government, who, according to The New York Times, was believed to be Torshin. The court filings detail the Russian official's and Butina's efforts for Butina to act as an agent of Russia inside the United States by developing relationships with U.S. persons and infiltrating organizations having influence in the Republican Party and in conservative politics—such as the National Rifle Association, the National Prayer Breakfast and some religious organizations—for the purpose of advancing the interests of the Russian Federation.[59]

The filings also describe certain actions taken by Butina to further this effort during multiple visits from Russia and, later, when she entered and resided in the United States on a student visa. The filings allege that she undertook her activities "without officially disclosing the fact that she was acting as an agent of Russian government, as required by law."[60]

Butina, Torshin, and Erickson have been subjects of an investigation by the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. Erickson is referred to in Butina's indictment as "Person 1." In addition, George D. O'Neill Jr., a conservative writer and Rockefeller heir, is "Person 2."[32][37][61] Torshin has also been the subject of a probe by the FBI into whether the Russian government attempted to illegally funnel money to the NRA in order to help Trump win the presidency.[32][39]

The FBI began to monitor Butina in August 2016, after she had moved to the United States on an F-1 student visa. Rather than confront her immediately, the FBI chose to track her movements and gather information on whom she was meeting, and what her end goals were to be.[62]

Plea deal

[edit]
English Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Butina's attorneys and federal prosecutors declared in a 16 November 2018, court filing that they had entered into plea negotiations.[63] On 13 December, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to act as an illegal foreign agent, while the original charge of failing to register as a foreign agent was dropped.[64][65] She faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison and, according to a CNN report, will "likely be deported after serving any time."[12]

On 26 April 2019, Butina was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, in accordance with the recommendations of prosecutors.[66] Butina was released from prison on 25 October and deported back to Russia.

Butina later complained that in the U.S., she was forced to sign a plea-deal. She claimed that she was sentenced for simply being Russian.[67]

Russian reaction

[edit]

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had no prior knowledge of Butina.[68] Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov made a statement saying that Butina's arrest was designed to undermine the "positive results" of the Helsinki summit between U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin.[69] She was arrested a day before Trump met his Russian counterpart.[33] Butina's father has called the accusations against her "a witch-hunt".[70]

Leonid Slutsky, head of the lower house of the Russian parliament's foreign affairs committee, called Butina's case a "modern political inquisition."[71] Russia's Foreign Ministry accused the United States of forcing false confession from Butina.[72] According to the foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, "having created unbearable conditions for her and threatening her with a long jail sentence, she was literally forced to sign up to absolutely ridiculous charges."[73]

Timeline

[edit]

2011

[edit]
Further information: Timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections

2012

[edit]

2013

[edit]
  • 3–5 May: Butina and Torshin attend the NRA convention in Houston, Texas.[81][82]
  • Early October: Butina makes a presentation on "Right to Bear Arms" to the Association for the Promotion of Weapons Culture in Israel. Her presentation includes a slide claiming her organization has cooperation agreements with similar organizations in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Estonia, and she informs the group that it also has a cooperation agreement with the NRA. Another slide states it has a cooperation agreement with the International Defensive Pistol Association, which the Texas-based organization denies when asked in 2018.[83]
  • Early November: Keene, Alan Gottlieb, Gottlieb's wife, and Paul Erickson attend the "Right to Bear Arms" conference in Moscow where they meet with Butina and Torshin.[76][84] Gottlieb and Keene are invited speakers at the event.[79][85][86] Gottlieb and his wife dine with Torshin and Butina, and receive "gifts that [display] research into their interests." In 2017, Gottlieb tells the Washington Post, "They wanted to keep communications open and form friendships."[76]
  • 10 December: John Bolton promotes gun rights in Russia in a video made for Butina's "Right to Bear Arms" organization.[81][87]

2014

[edit]
  • Unspecified: Butina tells an American Facebook friend who complained about California's gun restrictions that he should "hold demonstrations" for gun rights.[88]
  • 24 April: Butina presents NRA president Jim Porter with an honorary membership in "Right to Bear Arms".[89][90]
  • 25–27 April: Butina and Torshin attend the NRA annual conference in Indianapolis. Butina attends several meetings as a guest of Keene.[84][91]
  • 3 September: Paul Erickson attends a "Right to Bear Arms" forum in Moscow where he is a featured speaker.[84][92][93]
  • Late 2014: Butina resigns from her position as the head of "Right to Bear Arms".[94]

2015

[edit]
  • February: Dimitri Simes meets with Putin and other Russian officials in Moscow. Simes is the publisher of The National Interest and CEO of the think tank Center for the National Interest (CNI). The Center arranges meetings between Torshin, Butina, and U.S. government officials in April. The following year he would arrange Trump's 27 April 2016, speech at the Mayflower Hotel.[95]
  • 26–28 February: Butina attends CPAC.[89][96]
    • Butina and Torshin meet with Treasury undersecretary for international affairs Nathan Sheets to discuss U.S. Russian economic relations during the Obama administration. The meeting was arranged by the CNI.[95]
    • Torshin and Butina participate in discussions about the "Russian financial situation and its impact on Russian politics" at a private event moderated by Hank Greenberg and organized by the CNI.[95]
  • 7 April: Torshin and Butina meet with Federal Reserve vice chairman Stanley Fischer to discuss U.S. Russian economic relations during the Obama administration. The meeting was arranged by the CNI.[95]
  • 10 April: Butina, Torshin, and David Keene attend a fundraiser in Tennessee for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.[84][97]
  • 11–12 April: Torshin and Butina attend the NRA convention in Nashville, Tennessee.[84] Torshin briefly converses with Trump. Torshin and the Trump family dispute how much was said.[98]
  • 12 June: Maria Butina argues in an article she wrote for The National Interest that only a Republican president can improve relations between the U.S. and Russia.[99][100]
  • 11 July: Butina attends FreedomFest in Las Vegas, where Trump is speaking and taking questions. She asks Trump his stance on continuing sanctions; he replies he knows Putin and doesn't think sanctions are needed.[74] Reviewing a video of the encounter, Bannon points out that "Trump had a fully developed answer".[101]
  • 13 July: Butina is present at Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's presidential candidacy announcement.[74]
  • 4–6 August: Rohrabacher and Behrends travel to Russia.[102] While there, Rohrabacher meets Butina and Torshin for breakfast.[103] In July 2018, Rohrabacher tells Politico he dined with Butina and another congressman accompanying him on the trip.[104]
  • 25 November: In an email to incoming NRA President Pete Brownell, Erickson writes, "most of the FSB agents 'assigned' to her [Butina] want to marry her", saying that is why she was able to arrange a tour of a Russian arms factory for the NRA delegation.[105]
  • 8–13 December: Outspoken Trump supporter Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke, former NRA President David Keene, future NRA President Pete Brownell, NRA Golden Ring of Freedom Chair Joe Gregory, major NRA donors Hilary[106] and Arnold Goldschlager, Outdoor Channel CEO Jim Liberatore,[107] and NRA member Paul Erickson travel to Moscow for the "Right to Bear Arms" convention. They meet Russian government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin[108] and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Rogozin is under U.S. sanctions. Butina accompanies the delegation on a tour of the gun manufacturer ORSIS, where they meet with the company's executives, including Svetlana Nikolaev, president of ORSIS's parent company and wife of billionaire Konstantin Nikolaev. They also meet with Torshin and Sergei Rudov, the head of the Saint Basil the Great Charitable Foundation. They attend a party at a Moscow hunting club hosted by Torshin and Pavel Gusev, the Chairman of the Public Council of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Clarke later files an ethics report showing that Butina's organization, "Right to Bear Arms", covered $6,000 of his expenses.[74][97][109][110][111][112] After the Lavrov meeting, Butina emails Torshin, writing, "We should let them express their gratitude now, and put pressure on them quietly later."[65] In May 2018, NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch denies there was an NRA trip to Moscow, then clarifies in July 2018 that it wasn't an official trip.[92][113][114]

2016

[edit]
Further information: Timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections (July 2016–election day) and Timeline of post-election transition following Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
  • 27 April:
    • Erickson contacts Trump campaign advisor Rick Dearborn. In an email headed "Kremlin Connection", Erickson seeks the advice of Dearborn and Sessions about how to arrange a meeting between Trump and Putin. Erickson suggests making contact at the NRA's annual convention in Kentucky. The communication refers to Torshin, who is under instructions to contact the Trump campaign.[115][116]
    • At Butina's urging, Christian activist Rick Clay emails Dearborn with the subject "Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite"[117] offering a meeting between Trump and Torshin.[118] Dearborn, then Sessions's Chief of Staff, sends an email mentioning a person from West Virginia seeking to connect Trump campaign members with Putin. Dearborn appears "skeptical" of the meeting request.[119] Jared Kushner rejects the request. Torshin and Trump Jr. later meet and speak at the NRA convention.[118]
  • 10 May: Dearborn receives an email about arranging a back-channel meeting between Trump and Putin with the subject line "Kremlin Connection." It is sent from a conservative operative who says Russia wants to use the NRA's convention to make "first contact."[120]
  • 16 May: Dearborn receives a similar second proposal, which he forwards to Kushner, Manafort and Rick Gates. Both efforts appear to involve Torshin, who was instructed to make contact with the Trump campaign.[120] Kushner rebuffs the proposal.[120]
  • 19–22 May: The NRA annual conference is held in Louisville, Kentucky. Trump and Trump Jr. attend.[121][122][123][124] Trump Jr. meets briefly with Torshin and Butina on 20 May.[120]
  • August: Butina arrives in the U.S. on a student visa to attend American University in Washington, D.C.[125][126]
  • 9 August: Bloomberg reports that the Spanish Civil Guard believes Torshin assisted the Taganskaya crime syndicate with money laundering through banks in Spain.[127]
  • 29 September: Facilitated by Faith Whittlesey, Butina is introduced by Paul Erickson to J. D. Gordon at a party at the Swiss ambassador's residence. Gordon was the Director of National Security for the Trump campaign from February to August. That night, Erickson emails Butina and Gordon offering to "add an electronic bridge" to their meeting at the party. In his email to Butina, Erickson writes that Gordon is "playing a crucial role in the Trump transition effort and would be an excellent addition to any of the U.S./Russia friendship dinners to occasionally hold." He writes that all the "right" people listen to Gordon on international security. Erickson's email to Gordon describes Butina as a "special friend" of the NRA and the special assistant to the deputy governor of the Bank of Russia.[128][129]
  • October: Whittlesey and Butina attend Gordon's birthday party.[128]
  • 18 October: Butina and Gordon attend a Styx concert together.[129][130]
  • 12 November : Butina holds a birthday party at Cafe Deluxe in Washington, D.C., attended by Erickson and Trump campaign aides.[107][126] She claims to be part of Russian communications with the Trump campaign, something she has bragged about for months.[126]

2017

[edit]
Further information: Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (2017) and Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (July–December 2017)
  • 20 January: Maria Butina attends the inaugural Freedom Ball with Paul Erickson. It is one of the three balls Trump attends.[74][124][131]
  • 27 January: Alexander Torshin, Maria Butina, Paul Erickson, and former Kremlin staffer Andrey Kolyadin dine with Representatives Dana Rohrabacher and Thomas Massie at a private dinner hosted by Rockefeller heir George O'Neill Jr.[74][98]
  • 2 February: Alexander Torshin and Maria Butina attend the National Prayer Breakfast. Torshin is scheduled to meet privately with Trump beforehand, but the meeting is canceled after a national security aide points out that Torshin is under investigation for organized crime and money laundering.[74] A spokesman for Torshin later says Torshin was officially on vacation at the time, adding, "President Trump has never proposed a meeting to Mr. Torshin."[132]
  • 11 August: The Senate Intelligence Committee asks Sigal Mandelker, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, to provide any "suspicious" or "derogatory" transaction records reported by banks involving Maria Butina, Alexander Torshin, Paul Erickson, Investing With Dignity, or Bridges LLC. Erickson owns Investing With Dignity and jointly owns Bridges LLC with Butina. The committee sends a follow-up request on 7 December complaining that it hasn't received a response.[133]
  • December: Butina declines a request to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee because of lack of support from Republican members.[133]

2018

[edit]
Butina presents her Prison diary at the 22 Moscow International Fair Non/fiction (March 2021)
Further information: Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (January–June 2018) and Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (July–December 2018)
  • January: Federal agents photograph Maria Butina dining with Oleg Zhiganov, the director of the Russian Cultural Center. Zhiganov is expelled from the U.S. in March for being a suspected Russian spy. In a July hearing, prosecutors offer Butina's association with Zhiganov as one reason she should be considered a flight risk and denied bail.[134]
  • 12 March: Butina responds to a Federal Election Commission query "about whether or not certain donations had been made to political campaigns."[135]
  • April: Butina testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee in a closed session for eight hours.[85] She tells the committee that Russian billionaire Konstantin Nikolaev funded "Right to Bear Arms" from 2012 to 2014.[136] In July, A spokesperson for Nikolaev confirms the funding support after initial denials.[136][137]
  • 25 April: FBI agents in tactical gear search Butina's apartment. One of the warrants executed is related to a fraud investigation of Paul Erickson.[85][138][139][140]
  • May: Butina graduates from American University with a master's degree in international relations.[141][142]
  • 7 May: The NRA announces board member Oliver North will replace Peter Brownell as president of the organization after Brownell announces he will not seek a second term. The selection of North is unusual because the NRA board normally selects someone who has served two terms each as the first and the second vice president, and North has held neither position. In August, David Corn of Mother Jones points out that the move comes two weeks after the FBI raided Butina's apartment and that Brownell is an associate of Butina.[139]
  • June: Butina offers to assist prosecutors in an investigation of Paul Erickson.[85]
  • 15 July: Butina is arrested in Washington, D.C., on charges of being an unregistered foreign agent of the Russian Federation working to infiltrate politically influential organizations in the U.S. and influence U.S. officials.[124][143]
  • 16 July: The Justice Department announces Butina's arrest and the criminal charges that led to it.[143] NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch clarifies her 8 May denial[113] of the December 2015 NRA trip to Moscow, telling Mark Follman of Mother Jones that she meant it wasn't an official trip.[92][114]
  • 17 July: Prosecutors file an indictment of Butina in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.[144]
    • Rohrabacher tells Politico he is unsure whether he is the U.S. congressman mentioned in the Butina indictment, though he admits to being in Russia in August 2015 and dining with Butina and another congressman. He calls the charges against Butina "bogus" and a function of the "deep state."[104]
  • 18 July: Butina pleads not guilty at a preliminary hearing. The judge orders Butina be held without bail pending trial.[145]
  • 19 July: The Russian Foreign Ministry calls on people to show their support for Butina by changing their social media avatars to a photo of her, in 'Free Maria Butina' campaign.[146]
  • 23 July: Senators Ron Wyden, Robert Menendez, and Sheldon Whitehouse send Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin a letter demanding the "production of any documents relevant to financial links between the NRA, its associated entities and Ms. Butina and any entities or individuals related to her." The letter is a follow-up to a similar letter Wyden sent Mnuchin in February.[147]
  • 23 July: After initial denials,[136] a spokesperson for Russian billionaire Konstantin Nikolaev confirms that Nikolaev funded "Right to Bear Arms" from 2012 to 2014.[137]
  • 9 August: The Daily Beast reports that Igor Pisarky, the founder and chairman of the Russian public relations firm R.I.M. Porter Novelli, was Butina's point of contact for the funding she received from billionaire Konstantin Nikolaev.[148]
  • September: The U.S. Attorney's office in Washington, D.C., sends Paul Erickson a letter informing him that it is considering bringing charges against him for secretly acting as a foreign agent and a possible additional charge for conspiracy.[149] The Daily Beast reports that Erickson is under investigation by the FBI and the U.S. attorney in South Dakota for fraudulently seeking $100,000 investments at conservative political events to fund North Dakota companies allegedly involved in the Bakken oil fields.[150]
  • 19 September: NPR reports that beginning in 2014, Maria Butina urged Americans to hold gun rights demonstrations.[88]
  • 11 December: CNN reports that Butina agreed to plead guilty to spying and is now cooperating with the prosecutor.[151]
  • 12 December: Reuters reports that Putin is unclear about why Butina was arrested. He said, "She risks 15 years in jail. For what? I asked all the heads of our intelligence services what is going on. Nobody knows anything about her."[152]
  • 13 December: Butina pleads guilty in a D.C. federal court to trying to infiltrate the U.S. conservative movement as an agent for the Kremlin. She admits to working with Erickson to forge bonds with NRA officials and conservative leaders while under the direction of Torshin. In her plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop a charge of failing to register as a foreign agent in exchange for cooperation. In the statement of the offense, Erickson is identified as "U.S. Person 1", Torshin as the "Russian Official", the Republican Party as "Political Party #1", and the NRA as the "Gun Rights Organization".[65]
  • 19 December: In a Moscow news briefing, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says that Butina was coerced into making a false confession: "Butina confirmed that she had done a deal with U.S. investigators and confessed to being a foreign agent. Having created unbearable conditions for her and threatening her with a long jail sentence, she was literally forced to sign up to absolutely ridiculous charges."[153]

2019

[edit]
Further information: Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (2019–2020)

Life after prison

[edit]

In 2021, she visited Alexei Navalny, who was on a hunger strike in prison, stating that the conditions in the prison are better than in hotels in the Altai Territory, and Navalny himself is eating candy, not starving.[158]

In the September 2021 Russian legislative election Butina ran for the 8th State Duma on the party list of United Russia. Based on the allocation of seats to parties, she initially did not receive a deputy mandate. However, Igor Vasilyev, then governor of Kirov Oblast, declined his seat in the Duma, which then passed to Butina.[159] As a deputy, she sits on the Committee on International Affairs as well as the Commission on Investigation of Foreign Interference in Domestic Affairs of Russia.[160]

Response to invasion of Ukraine

[edit]

She expressed support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sharing a video on social media displaying the Z symbol on her jacket.[161] She had previously made an appearance the day after the beginning of the invasion on state-controlled TV talk show Time Will Tell condemning the Ukrainian government for arming civilians to repel Russian assaults on cities.[162] In a HARDtalk interview in March, she refused to give credibility to any non-Russian source.[163]

Sanctions

[edit]

Butina is one of the members of the State Duma the United States Treasury sanctioned on 24 March 2022 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[164]

She was also sanctioned by Canada under the Special Economic Measures Act (S.C. 1992, c. 17) in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine for Grave Breach of International Peace and Security,[165] and by the UK government in 2022 in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War.[166]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Maria Butina

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Maria Butina (Russian: Мария Валерьевна Бутіна, born November 10, 1988) is a Russian serving as a deputy in the , the of Russia's Federal Assembly, and a former advocate for firearms rights who established informal ties between Russian officials and American conservative groups. Butina founded the Right to Bear Arms organization in in 2011 to promote and rights, drawing inspiration from the U.S. (NRA). Working under the direction of Alexander Torshin, a senior Russian government official, she cultivated relationships with NRA leaders and other U.S. political figures to advance Russian foreign policy interests through unofficial channels. This included organizing a 2015 NRA delegation visit to , where members met with and officials connected to the . In July 2018, Butina was arrested in the United States on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation without prior notification to the Attorney General, as required by the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). She pleaded guilty in December 2018, admitting to efforts directed by Torshin to penetrate U.S. political organizations and influence policy, though no espionage charges were filed. Sentenced to 18 months in prison in April 2019, she was credited for time served and deported to Russia upon completion of her term. Following her return, Butina entered Russian politics, securing a parliamentary seat and focusing on issues such as support for prisoners abroad and domestic policy advocacy.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Family Background

Maria Butina was born in 1988 in , the capital of in southern , , an industrial city situated approximately 228 kilometers south of . She grew up in a typical Soviet-era apartment, where her family resided until she reached the age of 18. The eldest daughter of Valeriy Butin, a retired engineer, and Irina Butina, she has a younger sister named Marina, who pursued a career in . Her father introduced her to firearms during childhood, teaching her to shoot, assemble, and disassemble rifles; family members reported that she developed proficiency with the Kalashnikov and first handled a around age 10. Known affectionately as "" in her youth, Butina stood out as unusually tall and physically developed compared to her peers, exhibiting traits by organizing activities among friends and siblings. Her parents described her as inquisitive with a strong memory, while she engaged in sports such as and , alongside reading works by authors like and the series. Academically ambitious, she earned mostly high grades in , including in English, reflecting an early drive to influence as noted by her sister.

Academic Pursuits and Initial Political Interests

Butina attended Altai State University in , , where she studied and , graduating in 2010. She also completed coursework at the School of Real Politics, an institution focused on practical political training. During her university years, Butina exhibited early political engagement, particularly in advocacy for expanded civilian firearm ownership in , drawing inspiration from American Second Amendment principles and organizations like the . Her interest in guns stemmed from childhood exposure through her father's hunting activities in , which she later described as integral to her upbringing. Butina participated in youth political forums such as Seliger, where she networked with like-minded activists and began promoting debates on rights at a national level, marking her initial foray into organized political discourse on . These activities reflected her broader ideological alignment with conservative values, including skepticism toward restrictive state controls on personal freedoms.

Gun Rights Advocacy in Russia

Founding of the Right to Bear Arms Organization

In 2011, Maria Butina established the Right to Bear Arms (Russian: Pravo na Oruzhie), a aimed at advocating for expanded civilian access to firearms in , where is primarily restricted to licensed and sport purposes with stringent regulations. The group's formation drew inspiration from American Second Amendment principles, seeking to mirror the National Rifle Association's model by promoting responsible , training, and legislative reforms to permit for . Butina, then a recent Siberian State University graduate with a budding interest in firearms, initiated the organization amid 's restrictive legal framework, which limits handguns and requires extensive permitting processes. The founding occurred informally in , with Butina leveraging personal networks to build initial support, including collaborations with pro-gun enthusiasts and indirect ties to Russian officials sympathetic to the cause, such as Alexander Torshin, a senator who later served as an advisor to the organization. By its inception, the group positioned itself as Russia's premier civil gun rights advocate, focusing on public education, development, and against policies, though it operated in a politically cautious environment dominated by state control over . Butina has described the effort as starting modestly, akin to mobilization in a fast-food setting, reflecting her entrepreneurial approach to challenging entrenched cultural and legal aversion to widespread armament in post-Soviet . Within years, it grew into the country's largest such entity, claiming tens of thousands of members despite opposition from authorities wary of armed civilian movements.

Key Campaigns and Achievements

Butina led campaigns to liberalize Russia's stringent regulations, emphasizing rights and responsible ownership amid a legal framework that restricted civilian access primarily to hunting and sport purposes. The Right to Bear Arms organized lobbying efforts targeting members, advocating for amendments to permit for personal protection and streamlined licensing processes. These initiatives drew on models from U.S. organizations like the NRA, with Butina publicly promoting the idea that armed citizens enhance public safety through deterrence of crime. Public outreach included educational seminars on safety, competitions, and awareness events to normalize in a where required rigorous vetting and was culturally stigmatized outside or rural contexts. The group published materials and hosted forums to foster , positioning guns as tools for individual empowerment rather than mere recreation. Notable achievements encompassed the organization's swift national expansion after its founding, absorbing competing pro-gun entities and achieving over 5,000 members nationwide by the mid-2010s, making it Russia's preeminent civilian firearms advocacy body. Annual conventions facilitated international exchanges, such as the 2013 event featuring U.S. gun rights figures, which elevated the group's profile and secured endorsements from abroad. These efforts raised public discourse on gun rights, though substantive legislative reforms remained limited under Russia's centralized control.

Challenges and Criticisms in Russia

Butina's Right to Bear Arms organization encountered significant cultural resistance in , where public opinion historically favored strict gun controls due to concerns over , , and societal unreadiness for widespread armament, rooted in post-Soviet policies and a legacy of state monopoly on force following the Bolshevik Revolution. Polls during the indicated low support for , with many Russians viewing expanded civilian ownership as a risk to public safety rather than a measure. Government officials, including President and National Guard head , publicly opposed liberalization efforts, arguing that Russian society lacked the maturity for broader gun access and emphasizing state security priorities over individual rights. Despite lobbying senators like and organizing rallies, the group achieved no major legislative reforms, such as lifting the handgun ban enacted in , as authorities prioritized maintaining restrictive laws amid fears of armed unrest. The organization faced internal and operational challenges, including opaque funding from figures like Konstantin Nikolayev, which fueled suspicions of ulterior motives, and bureaucratic hurdles that led to its in March 2018 for failing to submit required reports. Membership and activity declined after Butina's departure for the in 2015, with critics within gun enthusiast circles questioning its effectiveness and accusing it of prioritizing international networking over domestic gains. Some observers suspected the group of serving as a vehicle for Kremlin-aligned influence during the 2011–2013 protests, avoiding anti-Putin stances to gain favor, though this did not translate to policy wins.

Activities in the United States

Arrival and Graduate Studies

Butina entered the in August 2016 on an F-1 student visa for the purpose of full-time graduate enrollment at in . She had previously visited the U.S. on shorter trips, including attendance at events, but the 2016 entry marked her relocation for academic pursuits. At American University's School of International Service, Butina enrolled in a master's program in during the summer term of 2016. Her coursework included studies on U.S. political organizations and cyberdefenses, participating in a class project under a professor who advised the State Department on nonproliferation issues; the project examined vulnerabilities in American groups' online security without raising contemporary concerns among faculty. Classmates described her as outspoken about Russian perspectives, often expressing pride in her national identity while engaging in discussions on international affairs. Butina maintained full-time student status through 2017 and into 2018, completing her graduate degree shortly before her July 2018 . Her visa required adherence to academic obligations, which she fulfilled amid her broader activities in gun rights advocacy and networking.

Engagement with NRA and Conservative Networks

Butina's engagement with the (NRA) commenced through high-level contacts facilitated by Russian Central Bank Deputy Governor Alexander Torshin. In April 2014, she attended the NRA's annual convention in as a VIP guest, where she presented a plaque to NRA president Jim Porter representing her Russian gun rights organization and met with executive vice president . She returned for the 2015 convention in Nashville on April 24, interacting with Republican officials including Governor Scott Walker, and the 2016 event in Louisville, maintaining access to NRA leadership amid her advocacy for international gun rights cooperation. In May 2015, Butina's Right to Bear Arms group hosted a delegation of NRA executives in , including former NRA president David Keene and NRA treasurer John Frazer, for discussions on expanding gun ownership in and strengthening U.S.- ties through conservative channels; the visit included private meetings with Russian officials. This followed her earlier cultivation of Keene, whom she met in the U.S. and who endorsed her efforts to bridge NRA principles with Russian reforms. Beyond NRA conventions, Butina networked at broader conservative gatherings, such as the July 2015 FreedomFest in , a libertarian-leaning event where she questioned presidential candidate during a Q&A session about U.S. policy on Russian sanctions and bilateral relations. She also collaborated with Republican operative Paul Erickson, beginning around 2013, to organize "friendship dinners" pairing U.S. conservatives with Russian participants for informal policy dialogues, aiming to establish unofficial communication lines outside formal diplomatic channels. These interactions, spanning 2014 to 2016, were later characterized by the U.S. Department of Justice as components of a directed by Torshin to penetrate NRA and conservative circles for Russian governmental objectives, including intelligence gathering and policy influence, though Butina publicly framed them as transparent gun rights advocacy.

Interactions with Republican Figures and Trump Campaign

Butina cultivated relationships with Republican figures primarily through her involvement with the (NRA) and conservative events focused on gun rights and . In April 2015, she attended the NRA's annual convention in , where she met privately with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, a Republican presidential candidate at the time. Later that year, on July 18, 2015, at the FreedomFest conference in , , Butina posed a question to during a Q&A session about his potential toward if elected president; Trump replied that he would not continue sanctions against , stating, "I don't think you'd need the sanctions." In early 2016, Butina and Russian Central Bank Deputy Governor Alexander Torshin attended the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on February 4, an event drawing conservative leaders and politicians. That spring, she coordinated with U.S. political operative Paul Erickson (identified as U.S. Person 1 in federal affidavits) to organize "friendship dinners" in Washington, D.C., and New York City aimed at fostering dialogue between Russian officials and influential Americans, including NRA affiliates and Republican contacts. On May 20, 2016, during the NRA's convention in Louisville, Kentucky, Butina and Torshin briefly met Donald Trump Jr. at a related dinner event. Butina's interactions extended to Trump campaign personnel, including J.D. Gordon, the campaign's director of , whom she befriended and met socially during her time in In October 2016, Erickson emailed an associate proposing a "back channel" to Republican Party leaders via the NRA to advance Russian interests post-election. Butina and Torshin also sought to arrange a direct meeting between Torshin and Trump or his representatives around the 2016 NRA convention, but the Trump campaign declined, opting instead for the brief encounter with Trump Jr. These efforts, detailed in a 2018 Department of Justice affidavit, centered on building unofficial lines of communication rather than covert , though Butina later pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an unregistered . She attended the 2017 as well, continuing her pattern of engaging conservative networks.

Arrest, Charges, and Affidavit Details

Maria Butina, a 29-year-old Russian citizen residing in , was arrested by the FBI on , 2018, in , on a criminal unsealed the following day. The arrest occurred amid preparations for her potential departure from the area, with authorities citing flight risk concerns based on her lack of strong U.S. ties and prior attempts to obtain a visa extension. She was charged with one count of to act as an unregistered agent of the Russian Federation within the , in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 951. The charge alleged that from 2015 to at least February 2017, Butina knowingly conspired with at least one foreign official and at least two U.S. persons to develop relationships with influential Americans in politics and business to advance Russian government interests, without notifying the U.S. of her activities as required by law. The supporting affidavit, sworn by FBI Special Agent Kevin G. Moore, detailed Butina's role in a covert influence operation directed by a high-level Russian government official—a former Russian legislator who later held a position at the Russian Central Bank and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in April 2018. According to the affidavit, Butina began coordinating with this official after meeting U.S. Person 1, an American political operative, in Moscow in 2013; together, they proposed an influence plan in March 2015 targeting a major U.S. political party with the aim of establishing unofficial communication channels between Russia and the United States. Specific activities included multiple trips from Russia starting in 2015 to build ties with U.S. organizations and individuals, such as a prominent gun rights group; organizing "friendship and dialogue" dinners in Washington, D.C., and New York City in 2016 attended by influential U.S. persons; and attending the 2016 and 2017 National Prayer Breakfasts in Washington, D.C. Butina entered the U.S. on an F-1 student visa in August 2016 and continued these efforts while pursuing graduate studies, using encrypted communications and reporting back to the Russian official via email and Twitter without disclosing her agency role. The affidavit emphasized that her actions were intended to penetrate organizations with sway over U.S. policy but did not allege espionage, election interference, or handling of classified information.

Plea Agreement, Sentencing, and Prison Conditions

On December 10, 2018, Butina entered into a plea agreement with U.S. federal prosecutors, under which she agreed to plead guilty to a single count of to act as an unregistered agent of the Russian Federation in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and § 951. The agreement stipulated her cooperation with ongoing investigations by federal, state, and local authorities, including providing information on her contacts and activities. She formally pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on December 13, 2018, admitting that from 2015 to 2017 she had conspired with a senior Russian government official—later identified in court documents as Alexander Torshin—to penetrate U.S. political and conservative organizations without notifying the Attorney General as required by law. Butina remained in pretrial detention following her July 15, 2018 arrest, with federal judges denying requests citing flight risk and potential danger to the community. On April 26, 2019, U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan sentenced her to 18 months of incarceration, a term that accounted for the approximately nine months she had already served in custody. Prosecutors had recommended this sentence, noting her cooperation but emphasizing the implications of her undisclosed influence efforts. Judge Chutkan remarked during the hearing that Butina had shown a "commitment to this country" through her studies but had failed to disclose her true intentions and handlers. Butina served her sentence across multiple federal facilities, including the Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia and the Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution in Florida, where she spent about five months. She endured periods of solitary confinement totaling around four months, initially for over two months continuously starting shortly after her arrest, which her legal team argued was for protective custody due to her high-profile status and foreign nationality. A November 2018 motion to transfer her from solitary to general population was denied by the court, which upheld the Bureau of Prisons' security assessments. Butina later described harsh conditions in a Washington, D.C.-area facility, including infestations of cockroaches and limited access to basic amenities, though U.S. officials maintained these aligned with standard protocols for similar detainees and found no evidence of deviations from norms. In a May 2019 prison interview, she expressed doubts about the U.S. justice system's fairness, attributing her treatment to political motivations amid Russiagate investigations.

Deportation and Immediate Aftermath

Maria Butina was released from a low-security in , on October 25, 2019, after serving approximately 15 months of her 18-month sentence for conspiring to act as an unregistered . She was immediately transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement () and deported to on the same day. Butina arrived at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport on , , where she was greeted by her father, Valery Butin, and her . Speaking to reporters upon arrival, she stated, "Russians never surrender," reflecting on her U.S. . She described her experience as harsh but expressed no regrets about her actions in the United States. In the days following her , Butina maintained a low public profile initially, focusing on reintegration with family before engaging further with media. U.S. officials confirmed her removal as part of standard procedure for foreign nationals convicted of such offenses, with no additional legal barriers to her departure.

Return to Russia and Political Ascendancy

Reintegration and Media Presence

Upon her deportation and arrival in Moscow on October 26, 2019, Butina was greeted at Vnukovo Airport by her father, supporters, and journalists, with crowds chanting "Russians never surrender" as she addressed the media, denouncing her U.S. imprisonment as unjust and affirming her commitment to Russia. Russian state-aligned media outlets, including RT, quickly amplified her narrative, portraying her as a victim of American "anti-Russian hysteria" and political persecution, which facilitated her rapid reintegration into public life. In the months following her return, Butina established a prominent media presence, frequently appearing on Russian state television to discuss U.S. , her experiences, and bilateral relations, often critiquing Western policies from a pro-Russian perspective. By December 17, 2019, she secured a hosting role at RT, Russia's international state-funded broadcaster, where she contributed to programs analyzing American and foreign influence allegations, leveraging her firsthand U.S. contacts to provide insider commentary. This position, confirmed by RT announcements, enhanced her visibility and positioned her as a bridge between Russian audiences and Western events, though RT's government ties raised questions about the independence of her platform. Butina also maintained an active social media footprint, posting about her advocacy for detained Russians abroad and promoting initiatives like tutoring for students eyeing U.S. studies, which built support and aligned with her emerging political ambitions. Her media engagements, while drawing praise in for resilience, were critiqued abroad as amplifying narratives on interference claims.

Election to the State Duma

In April 2021, Maria Butina announced her candidacy for the in the September legislative elections, running on the federal party list of , Russia's . The elections, held September 17–19, 2021, utilized a mixed system of 225 single-mandate districts and 225 proportional party-list seats. secured a , winning 198 single-mandate seats and sufficient party-list votes to claim 198 additional seats, ensuring control of at least 324 deputies as adjusted by constitutional rules. Butina did not secure a direct victory in a single-mandate but obtained her seat through intra- redistribution. In October 2021, the deputy elected in Kirov Oblast's single-mandate —the local —resigned, transferring the mandate to Butina via procedures, as she was positioned to inherit such vacancies from the party's allocated seats. This mechanism, common in Russian parliamentary practice, allowed approximately one-fifth of new deputies to enter via secondhand mandates post-election. Butina was sworn in as a deputy for the convocation, representing , and began her term in late 2021. Her entry drew commentary as a form of recognition for her prior U.S. experiences, though she described it as earned through her rather than .

Legislative Roles and Policy Positions

Maria Butina serves as a deputy in the of the Russian Federation, representing the faction since October 2021, when she assumed a transferred mandate from the single-mandate constituency in the Kirov region following the September 2021 elections. In this capacity, she holds membership in the Committee on International Affairs, where she engages in oversight and policy formulation related to Russia's diplomatic engagements and global interactions. Additionally, Butina participates in the Commission on Investigation of Foreign Interference in Domestic Affairs, focusing on alleged external influences in Russian internal matters. Butina's legislative activities emphasize and , aligning with United Russia's pro-government platform. She has contributed to discussions on countering foreign meddling and promoting Russian interests abroad, including advocacy for dialogue on geopolitical issues while critiquing Western policies. For instance, in June 2022, she attributed prolongation of the conflict primarily to interests of the U.S. military-industrial complex. On , Butina supports initiatives to facilitate relocation to for individuals seeking to uphold traditional values and , as expressed in November 2024 comments on migration projects providing moral and spiritual refuge. Leveraging her personal experience of U.S. imprisonment, she has pushed for reforms against practices and assistance for Russians detained overseas, including appeals to international bodies in March 2022 regarding detention conditions. In September 2025, she highlighted legislative efforts to streamline as a pathway to for compatible migrants. Her positions reflect a commitment to strengthening Russia's against external pressures, though specific bills sponsored by Butina remain limited in public record, with her influence more evident in committee debates and public advocacy rather than primary authorship of legislation. Butina's tenure has drawn U.S. sanctions in March 2022, targeting her amid broader measures against Russian lawmakers supporting military actions in .

Stances on Geopolitics and International Affairs

Views on US-Russia Relations

Butina has advocated for stronger US-Russia ties through unofficial channels and interactions, emphasizing people-to-people over governmental confrontations. In a 2019 interview, she described her activities in the United States as aimed at improving bilateral relations while pursuing studies in at , stating that she openly networked with Republicans to foster dialogue rather than engage in covert operations. Her efforts included organizing "friendship dinners" to connect Russian and American participants, which she presented as initiatives to build mutual understanding independent of official policies. During her legal proceedings and , Butina maintained that her work constituted "building " between the two countries, claiming in a May 2019 interview, "I love both countries, and I was building ," and that her objective was to establish "unofficial communication of civil diplomacy." She acknowledged providing reports on political developments to Torshin, a Russian official and her associate, but asserted she did not know the ultimate destination or utility of the information for Russian authorities. In a 2015 public question to then-candidate at FreedomFest, she inquired about the potential for lifting sanctions against , reflecting her view that such measures damaged economic interests on both sides. Following her deportation to Russia on October 25, 2019, Butina reaffirmed her commitment to reconciliation, telling RT in an interview that "peace between the United States and Russia is possible, because it will be based on civil diplomacy, not on the relationships of the governments." She attributed ongoing tensions to official policies rather than inherent incompatibilities between the populations, citing her personal experiences with supportive Americans as evidence of potential for grassroots cooperation. These positions align with her pre-arrest activities, which involved leveraging shared interests in gun rights via the National Rifle Association to promote exchange, though US authorities characterized them as directed influence operations under Torshin's guidance to penetrate conservative political circles.

Response to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Butina has consistently expressed support for Russia's "special " in , framing it as a defensive response to expansion and alleged neo-Nazi elements within the Ukrainian government. In March 2022, shortly after the operation's commencement on February 24, she asserted that , rather than , was the aggressor, claiming Ukrainian forces were shelling their own civilians in and denying Russian responsibility for civilian casualties. She has described Ukrainian President as a "Nazi," echoing Russian state narratives on the need for "" as a justification for the intervention. As a member of the State Duma's Committee on International Affairs, Butina has criticized Western involvement, particularly the , for escalating the conflict through arms supplies to . On November 18, 2024, she warned that the Biden administration's authorization for Ukraine to use U.S.-made ATACMS missiles for strikes deep into territory risked triggering , viewing it as direct aggression against . In June 2022, she identified the American military-industrial complex as the primary beneficiary and prolonger of the fighting, prioritizing profit over peace. Butina has also commented on specific battlefield developments, such as the Ukrainian incursion into Russia's in August 2024, accusing the West of orchestrating the attack on sovereign Russian soil and likening it to "poking the bear." In a March 2022 interview, she stated that President Vladimir Putin's detailed plans for were not shared with members but affirmed that the operation was proceeding "according to plan." Her positions align with United Russia's official endorsement of the Kremlin's policy, leading to U.S. sanctions against her in March 2022 as part of measures targeting Russian lawmakers supportive of the invasion.

Advocacy for Dialogue and Bridge-Building

Maria Butina has described her pre-arrest activities as aimed at fostering dialogue and building bridges between and America, particularly by leveraging shared conservative values such as gun rights advocacy. In a March 2015 document she drafted, titled "Description of the Project," Butina proposed serving as an unofficial conduit for communication, focusing on networking with Republican influencers to counteract deteriorating bilateral ties amid suspended formal negotiations. She emphasized that her efforts involved public engagement, including social media posts about meetings with U.S. politicians and NRA events, rather than secrecy. To facilitate these connections, Butina organized Russian-American "friendship and dialogue" dinners in , and New York starting around 2015, inviting Russian officials like Alexander Torshin alongside U.S. political figures to discuss policy and cultural affinities. These events were part of a broader strategy to establish informal lines of influence, as she later acknowledged in her 2018 plea agreement, where she admitted seeking "unofficial lines of communication with Americans having power and influence over U.S. politics." Butina maintained in post-arrest interviews that such initiatives were transparent attempts to improve relations, not , positioning gun rights as a non-ideological entry point for mutual understanding between Russian and American conservatives. Her foundational work in further underscored this bridge-building ethos. In 2011, Butina established the Right to Bear Arms organization to promote firearm ownership, training, and safety—modeled explicitly on the U.S. NRA—to cultivate pro-gun sentiments domestically while signaling alignment with American libertarian ideals. She attended NRA conventions and lobbied U.S. contacts for support, framing these exchanges as reciprocal to reduce mistrust. U.S. prosecutors, however, characterized these overtures as covert influence operations directed by Russian associates, though Butina denied acting under official auspices. Following her 2019 deportation and entry into Russian politics, Butina's public advocacy has shifted toward defending Russian interests, including criticism of U.S. sanctions and support for Moscow's geopolitical positions, with less emphasis on active U.S.-Russia reconciliation amid the conflict. In her role since 2021, she has prioritized aiding detained Russians abroad and advancing domestic gun reforms, viewing her U.S. experience as a cautionary lesson in Western adversarialism rather than a platform for renewed dialogue. Nonetheless, she has reiterated in interviews that pragmatic engagement remains preferable to isolation, attributing past bridge-building failures to mutual suspicions rather than inherent incompatibility.

Controversies, Defenses, and Broader Implications

Espionage Allegations and Evidence Assessment

Maria Butina was arrested by the FBI on July 15, 2018, and charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with one count of conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation within the United States without providing notice to the Attorney General, violating 18 U.S.C. § 951 and § 371. The criminal complaint detailed her efforts, directed by a senior Russian government official later identified as Alexander Torshin, to cultivate relationships with influential U.S. figures, particularly within the National Rifle Association (NRA), to advance Russian foreign policy interests such as softening U.S. sanctions and improving bilateral ties. Prosecutors cited electronic communications, including emails and texts from 2015-2017, where Butina proposed developing "private lines of communication" with U.S. political organizations and reported outcomes to Russian contacts, such as noting NRA leaders' reluctance to meet Russian officials publicly. On December 13, 2018, Butina entered a guilty to the conspiracy charge as part of a cooperation agreement, admitting she acted "knowingly and intentionally" under Torshin's instructions to infiltrate U.S. groups without registering as a under the (FARA). The statement of offense outlined specific acts, including organizing unofficial meetings between Russian and American participants at events like the 2011 NRA convention and using her position at to access political networks, while maintaining regular contact with Russian officials. Court filings also referenced her associations with individuals suspected of ties to Russian intelligence, such as a named operative, though these were presented as contextual rather than direct evidence of operational spying. No charges were brought under espionage statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 794, which require intent to transmit national defense information to a foreign power; the case centered on undeclared influence activities rather than theft or disclosure of classified material. Evidence presented did not include instances of Butina accessing or relaying sensitive government secrets, focusing instead on overt networking and reporting on public political sentiments, such as NRA positions on . During sentencing on April 26, 2019, imposed an 18-month term, crediting time served and noting Butina's cooperation, which included debriefings; she was deported to in December 2019 after serving approximately five additional months. Assessing the evidence, Butina's actions constituted a covert influence operation aimed at building unofficial diplomatic channels, consistent with her admitted role as a non-traditional "spotter" for talent and opportunities rather than a clandestine collector of . While initial media portrayals amplified narratives—drawing parallels to spies—prosecutors later clarified mistranslations in communications (e.g., non-sexual offers) and the absence of traditional spying elements, leading to a reduced threat assessment. This distinction highlights how FARA violations, though serious for transparency, differ from in lacking empirical proof of harm to via secret gathering; the case's timing amid broader investigations may have inflated its scope, but the documented communications substantiate deliberate, unregistered advocacy for foreign interests without evidence of deeper covert .

Arguments for Political Motivation in Prosecution

Russian officials and Butina's supporters have contended that her prosecution stemmed from political motivations, emphasizing the arrest's timing on July 15, 2018, amid the Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian election interference. The Russian described the charges as fabricated, asserting they were pursued to advance a narrative of foreign meddling linked to the Trump campaign. Butina's legal team argued that her activities constituted open networking to promote gun rights and bilateral US-Russia dialogue, consistent with her enrollment as a graduate student at from 2016 to 2018, rather than clandestine operations. Defense filings highlighted that she transmitted no and caused no discernible harm to interests, framing the case as an overreach on a failure-to-register violation under the (FARA), which is often resolved civilly. Journalist , specializing in intelligence matters, characterized the government's evidence as "extremely flimsy," suggesting the prosecution was propelled more by publicity-seeking during the probes than by substantive threats. Proponents of this view noted the focus on her Republican and contacts, arguing it aligned with efforts to implicate conservative circles in foreign influence narratives, despite her public support for figures like predating the 2016 election. The eventual plea to a single conspiracy count, yielding an 18-month sentence served largely in , was cited as disproportionate for non-espionage conduct.

Achievements in Cross-Cultural Advocacy vs. Influence Operation Claims

Maria Butina founded the Right to Bear Arms organization in in December 2011, establishing the country's first pro-gun rights group modeled after the U.S. (NRA). The organization aimed to promote ownership, safety training, and cultural exchange on Second Amendment principles, hosting conferences, shooting competitions, and efforts that attracted thousands of members and international speakers by 2015. These initiatives fostered a niche gun enthusiast community in , where strict regulations prevailed, and facilitated early dialogues with U.S. advocates, including invitations to NRA figures like David Keene for events in 2013. Butina presented these efforts as grassroots cross-cultural advocacy to normalize rights and build mutual understanding between Russian and American conservatives. In the United States, from 2013 onward, Butina attended multiple NRA annual conventions, organized informal dialogues on , and networked with Republican operatives to advocate for closer U.S.- ties, including public calls to lift sanctions during a 2015 FreedomFest forum question directed at . Her activities included arranging meetings between Russian officials and U.S. influencers, such as facilitating Alexander Torshin's interactions with NRA leadership, which proponents frame as legitimate bridge-building to reduce tensions through channels. Supporters, including her legal team, argue these were transparent efforts by a pro- activist to exchange ideas, yielding modest outcomes like increased Russian awareness of U.S. and reciprocal NRA visits to , without evidence of direct shifts or covert data theft. Counterclaims portray Butina's work as a directed influence operation under Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's and party affiliate with ties to , whom court documents identify as her operational handler. U.S. Department of indictments detail a 2013-2018 conspiracy where Butina, at Torshin's instructions, infiltrated conservative organizations like the NRA to gather intelligence on U.S. political attitudes toward , report findings via encrypted channels, and cultivate relationships to soften sanctions and advance interests, all without registering as a . Evidence includes intercepted communications outlining "spotlight" strategies for backchannel access, financial transfers exceeding $300,000 from Russian sources routed through U.S. intermediaries, and admissions in her December 2018 guilty plea to acting "at the direction and control of the Government of the " via Torshin. The duality arises because many activities—public speeches, convention attendance, and —occurred openly, aligning with Butina's stated personal passion for guns, yet prosecutorial records reveal undisclosed directives, deceptive personal relationships (e.g., with operative Paul Erickson), and intelligence-gathering absent from public narratives. While no traditional (e.g., classified leaks) was charged, the operation's covert elements violated U.S. transparency laws, distinguishing it from benign ; Torshin's government role and Butina's reporting obligations underscore state orchestration over independent . Assessments of impact note limited success in altering U.S. but highlight risks of unregistered foreign in amplifying pro-Russian voices within influential circles like the NRA, which hosted Torshin and Butina at VIP events despite emerging concerns. DOJ filings, corroborated by plea evidence, provide primary substantiation for the influence framing, though contextualized amid broader 2016 election scrutiny where media amplification may have emphasized narrative over nuance.

Sanctions and Ongoing Restrictions

Following her guilty plea on December 13, 2018, to one count of to act as an unregistered agent of the , Maria Butina was sentenced on April 26, 2019, to 18 months in prison, with credit for , by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She was released early for good behavior on October 25, 2019, after approximately 15 months of incarceration, including four months in , and immediately deported to by U.S. and Customs Enforcement () as part of the terms of her supervised release, which barred re-entry to the without permission. This deportation stemmed from her conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 951, rendering her inadmissible under U.S. (INA § 212(a)(3)(A)) for engaging in activities prejudicial to U.S. foreign policy interests. On March 24, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's (OFAC) designated Butina under 14024 for her role as a member of Russia's , part of a broader action targeting 328 members who supported legislation recognizing the independence of the and regions, actions deemed to enable Russia's invasion of . The designation freezes any assets Butina holds in U.S. and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with her, effectively imposing financial and economic restrictions. This sanction was not directly tied to her 2018 conviction but to her subsequent political activities in , including her to the on September 19, 2021, as a party candidate. These OFAC sanctions remain in effect as of July 3, 2024, with no delisting reported, subjecting Butina to secondary sanctions risks for third-party dealings and reinforcing travel prohibitions to the U.S. and allied nations imposing reciprocal measures, such as the and , where she is similarly listed for Duma-related actions. In practice, these restrictions limit her international mobility and financial access in Western jurisdictions, though she continues parliamentary duties in unimpeded.

References

  1. https://theworld.org/stories/2025/01/24/what-is-maria-butina-doing-now-in-russia-after-her-release-from-a-us-prison
  2. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/russian-national-sentenced-18-months-prison-conspiring-act-agent-russian-federation-within
  3. https://lieu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-lieu-and-rice-call-fbi-investigation-russian-influence-nra
  4. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-we-know-about-maria-butinas-plea-agreement
  5. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-Y4_F49-PURL-gpo126626/pdf/GOVPUB-Y4_F49-PURL-gpo126626.pdf
  6. https://www.voanews.com/a/butina-origins-exclusive-report/6742055.html
  7. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44885633
  8. https://www.euronews.com/2019/01/17/maria-butina-wanted-influence-society-sister-says-n959661
  9. https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2018/07/18/russian-federation-maria-butina-nra-south-dakota-united-states-espionage/796237002/
  10. https://www.spisok-putina.org/en/personas/butina-2/
  11. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/647174528
  12. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/07/16/timeline-the-odd-overlap-of-maria-butina-the-gun-rights-movement-and-the-2016-election/
  13. https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/russian-agent-gun-rights-lobbying/
  14. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/maria-butina-wanted-influence-society-sister-says-n959661
  15. https://www.voanews.com/a/fact-check-butina-us-passport-nra-russiagate/6742004.html
  16. https://www.plaintalk.net/local_news/article_02d93c3e-911a-11e8-a3f3-db41a33188ca.html
  17. https://www.npr.org/2018/09/19/647174528/maria-butina-accused-of-being-russian-agent-has-long-history-of-urging-protest
  18. https://www.firearms-united.com/en/maria-butina/
  19. https://www.gq.ru/heroes/kak-sozdat-oruzhejnoe-lobbi-i-ne-progoret
  20. https://www.ohotniki.ru/weapon/smoothbore/article/2015/02/28/643356-pravo-na-oruzhie-chto-nas-zhdet.html
  21. https://www.everytown.org/press/everything-you-need-to-know-about-maria-butina-purported-lifetime-nra-member-and-russian-national-charged-with-conspiracy-to-act-as-a-foreign-agent/
  22. https://www.columbian.com/news/2018/sep/10/misfire-maria-butinas-strange-route-from-russia-to-us-jail/
  23. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-maria-butina-guns-nra/29392515.html
  24. https://www.rbth.com/history/326865-guns-rifles-russia-revolution
  25. https://www.voanews.com/a/misfire-maria-butina-s-strange-route-from-russia-to-us-jail/4564802.html
  26. https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Butina-Criminal-Complaint-071418.pdf
  27. https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/19/politics/maria-butina-alleged-russian-spy-what-we-know
  28. https://cis.org/National-Security-Vetting-Failures-Database/Maria-Butina
  29. https://www.propublica.org/article/why-russian-spies-really-like-american-universities
  30. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mariia-butina-studied-u-s-groups-cyberdefenses-n925471
  31. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/passion-guns-face-love-putin-portrait-alleged-russian/story?id=56808963
  32. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/we-used-to-joke-that-she-was-a-spy-maria-butinas-life-as-an-au-student-before-accusations/65-575888276
  33. https://www.npr.org/2018/07/16/629531772/feds-charge-russian-student-linked-to-nra-with-conspiracy
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  38. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/lover-cover-romance-heart-alleged-russian-influence-operation/story?id=57437405
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  45. https://www.vox.com/2018/12/10/18134437/maria-butina-plea-deal
  46. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-campaign-aide-alleged-russian-agents-social-network/story?id=57033322
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  50. https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/13/politics/butina-plea-agreement
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  53. https://www.npr.org/2019/04/26/716799929/russian-agent-maria-butina-to-be-sentenced-in-federal-court-on-friday
  54. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/26/maria-butina-sentenced-18-months-russia-nra
  55. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/19/world/europe/maria-butina-russia-duma.html
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  60. https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-removes-foreign-agent-mariia-butina-following-conspiracy-conviction
  61. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/russian-operative-maria-butina-set-deportation-after-prison-release-n1071801
  62. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/25/politics/maria-butina-released
  63. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/26/maria-butina-moscow-nra-russia
  64. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/26/russian-woman-convicted-by-us-of-being-agent-returns-home-a67919
  65. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/russian-agent-butina-returns-to-moscow-after-us-deportation
  66. https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk/product/c2016zi9
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  68. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/12/17/maria-butina-convicted-in-us-of-being-russian-agent-gets-job-as-rt-host-a68653
  69. https://nypost.com/2019/12/17/maria-butina-hired-as-russian-state-tv-host/
  70. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/maria-butina-60-minutes-russia_n_5dbfb92ce4b0615b8a95514d
  71. https://www.reuters.com/world/butina-convicted-us-being-russian-agent-eyes-parliament-seat-2021-04-28/
  72. https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-spy-maria-butina-new-parliament-seat-not-a-reward-2021-11
  73. https://www.russian-election-monitor.org/hot-potato-nearly-a-fifth-of-russia-s-new-state-duma-deputies-owe-their-jobs-to-secondhand-mandates.html
  74. https://interkomitet.com/about-the-committee/blogs/butina/maria-butina-called-the-american-military-industrial-complex-the-main-interest-in-the-conflict-in-ukraine/
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  76. https://tass.com/society/1879827
  77. https://coe.mid.ru/en_GB/sotrudnicestvo-po-voprosam-evropejskoj-konvencii-po-pravam-celoveka/-/asset_publisher/78vNYLh8JIiO/content/obsestvennaa-palata-rf-prinala-delegaciu-pase?inheritRedirect=false&redirect=https%253A%252F%252Fcoe.mid.ru%253A443%252Fen_GB%252Fsotrudnicestvo-po-voprosam-evropejskoj-konvencii-po-pravam-celoveka%253Fp_p_id%253D101_INSTANCE_78vNYLh8JIiO%2526p_p_lifecycle%253D0%2526p_p_state%253Dnormal%2526p_p_mode%253Dview%2526p_p_col_id%253Dcolumn-1%2526p_p_col_count%253D1
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  83. https://www.npr.org/2019/05/10/721479139/maria-butina-says-she-was-building-peace-that-s-not-how-the-feds-see-it
  84. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/28/admitted-russian-agent-maria-butinas-first-comments-following-release-a67930
  85. https://www.newsweek.com/maria-butina-says-zelensky-nazi-ukrainian-military-attacking-citizens-1686427
  86. https://www.vice.com/en/article/russian-agent-maria-butina-ukraine-facism/
  87. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC-1Tli__rw
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  98. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/accused-russian-in-us-faces-borderline-torture-moscow-idUSKCN1L515W/
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  111. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/russian-agents-guilty-plea-intensifies-spotlight-on-relationship-with-nra/2018/12/13/e6569a00-fe26-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html
  112. https://www.npr.org/2018/07/17/629627064/new-charges-confirm-that-infiltration-was-an-aspect-of-russian-2016-attack
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  114. https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20220324
  115. https://www.businessinsider.com/convicted-russian-spy-maria-butina-us-sanctions-ukraine-2022-3
  116. https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20240703
  117. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6419b742d3bf7f7ff9a35d0b/Notice_Russia_210323.pdf
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