WEB DESK
The US Justice Department has said that it has arrested a Russian woman on suspicion of conspiracy. In a statement released on Monday, the department said Maria Butina, a 29-year-old Russian citizen residing in Washington, was arrested on Sunday.
Butina allegedly developed relationships with individuals and infiltrated organizations in the United States that have influence in American politics from early 2015 through at least February 2017.
She is suspected of operating at the direction of a senior Russian government official, who was designated as a target of US sanctions last April.
The Justice Department suspects that her activities were aimed at advancing Russian interests.
The move follows the US indictments of 12 Russian intelligence officers last week over meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump accepted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s denial of Russian interference in the election when the 2 met in Helsinki, Finland, on Monday.