World | Maria Butina Russia: OK, Release Our Accused Spy Moscow calls charges against Maria Butina 'fabricated,' asks Pompeo to release her By Polly Davis Doig Posted Jul 22, 2018 8:09 AM CDT Copied In this photo taken April 21, 2013, Maria Butina speaks to a crowd in support of legalizing the possession of handguns in Moscow, Russia. (AP Photo) The week of Russia whiplash continues, with Moscow now demanding the release of a Russian woman accused of being a covert spy, reports the New York Times. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the request Saturday during a phone call to counterpart Mike Pompeo in which he "stressed that the actions of the US authorities that arrested Russian citizen [Maria] Butina on fabricated charges are unacceptable," per a Russian statement picked up by RT. Lavrov further called for her "immediate release," though the Times calls that possibility "unlikely." Russia is also mounting a social media campaign to draw awareness to Butina's plight, using #FreeMariaButina. Read These Next JD Vance in hot water over birthday boating trip. Two state troopers were shot in Pennsylvania "Rock's forgotten genius" said no to Led Zeppelin. He went to kill a Cape buffalo. Instead, it killed him. Report an error