Russian national Maria Butina, sentenced by a US court to 18 months behind bars for espionage, stated that she came to the USA in order to “build bridges” between Moscow and Washington during Friday’s hearing.
Butina said that she wanted to build a career in the sphere of international politics. “I sought to build bridges between my motherland and the country that I grew to love,” she stressed, adding that she came to the US “not under orders but with hope”.
The convict, clad in a dark green prison robe, spoke in court for several minutes, her voice breaking at times.
The Russian national stressed that she was not aware she had to register as a foreign agent and apologized for her actions seen as a violation of the US law. “The United States has always been kind to me, and though it was not my intention to harm the American people, I did that by not notifying the Attorney General of my actions. I deeply regret this crime,” Butina said. “Please accept my apology and allow me to begin again.”
“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, in the United States or in Russia, and so I humbly request forgiveness,” she added.
“I have three degrees, but now I’m a convicted felon with no job, no money and no freedom,” the Russian national lamented.
Earlier on Friday, a court in Washington sustained the prosecution’s request for sentencing Butina to 18 months behind bars. Judge Tanya Chutkan ignored the defense lawyers’ request that Butina should be sentenced to a term equal to the period she had already spent in custody.