Russian Foreign Ministry launches ‘Free Maria Butina’ campaign after alleged Russian agent is jailed

On Wednesday, Butina was jailed pending her trial, and in response the Russian Foreign Ministry asked supporters to participate in an online “flash mob” and show their support for Butina by changing their social media avatars to a photo of her.

The ministry changed its own Twitter photo to feature Butina, and then tweeted in English, “#NewProfilePic, #FreeMariaButina.”

And on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that in a phone call on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Butina should be released. Lavrov told his counterpart that she is being held “on the basis of fabricated charges.”