Image by Pavel Starikov
Russian national Maria Butina, who was in the United States on a student visa, and arrested earlier in the year for conspiracy against the United States, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent, pleaded guilty to one count today in a plea deal with prosecutors.
Butina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the law governing foreign agents operating in the US.
“Yes, Your Honor,” she told Judge Tanya Chutkan, pointing out that the fact that she is being housed in a separate cell had no impact on her decision to cooperate, reported Russian state news agency TASS.
Russia Threatens To Block Google If It Doesn’t Follow Internet Law And Block Websites
Senator Oleg Morozov said that Russia will continue to help and continue efforts to free Butina.
“I am confident that Russia will help her, regardless of her statements,” he said.
According to Morozov, Butina “confessed” because she had no choice.
“The principle is very simple there: you cooperate with the investigation, the punishment is many times less. This is already a form of pressure,” the senator is convinced, reported Russian news outlet RIA Novosti.
