National

Russian foreign ministry mounts 'Free Maria Butina' campaign

The Russian foreign ministry announced a #FreeMariaButina campaign Thursday to win freedom for a Russian woman arrested and charged in the U.S. with illegally acting as an agent of the Russian government.

A tweet by the foreign ministry called on supporters to add a photo of Butina to their Twitter avatar.

Butina, a 29-year-old Russian citizen, was arrested and charged Wednesday with infiltrating American political organizations, including the National Rifle Association.

A federal magistrate in Washington, D.C., ordered Butina held without bond, pending trial, where she will face two felony charges.

The judge agreed with prosecutors that Butina was a flight risk.

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