Lavrov tells Pompeo: free Russian woman accused by U.S. of espionage

SANAA, Aug. 11 (YPA) – Russia’s foreign minister told his U.S. counterpart on Saturday that a woman arrested in the United States on accusations she was a Russian agent had been detained on “fabricated charges” and should be released.

Sergei Lavrov made the comments about Maria Butina in a phone call to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement in the wake of the recent summit in Helsinki.

Lavrovr refused the new American economic sanction against his country on the background on these accusations.

On Wednesday, a U.S. judge ordered Butina jailed until her trial after U.S. prosecutors argued she has ties to Russian intelligence and could flee the United States.
Lavrov said the actions of the American authorities, who arrested Butina “on the basis of fabricated charges”, were unacceptable and called for her release as soon as possible.

Ahmed Al-Mutawakel