World fame came to a young Russian political activist in connection with an international scandal. Maria Butina was arrested by the US authorities. She was charged with being a foreign intelligence agent. Russian diplomats assessed this fact as an attempt to disrupt the meeting of the leaders of Russia and the United States in Helsinki.
Biography of a political activist
Maria Valerievna Butina was born on November 10, 1988 in Siberia, in the suburbs of Barnaul, in a very wealthy family. Maria's mother worked as an engineer, but her father, who is an entrepreneur and has his own profitable business, brought the main income to the family.
As a child, Maria was fond of sports and participated in all school competitions. In addition, she studied well and studied foreign languages. After graduating from school, the girl entered the faculty of political science at the local university, which she graduated with honors in 2010. At a young age, Maria Butina actively participated in the social activities of the youth of the Altai Territory. She sits on the community council as the leader of the youth movement.
By the age of 22, Maria, thanks to her father, opens her own furniture manufacturing business, but realizing that she is not interested in this occupation, she sells part of the company and moves to Moscow.
Career
Butina graduated from graduate school, took up journalism and opened an advertising and information agency. By publishing publicistic articles of a political orientation, an energetic and intelligent girl becomes a well-known member of the circle of the Russian government. Maria Butina actively advocated the need to recognize the right of civilians to freely own firearms. She creates a non-profit organization in which she unites her like-minded people.
American Odyssey
After meeting the famous American political scientist Paul Erickson, Butina moved to America, where, under his patronage, for six years she took part in all kinds of rallies and political events. In the summer of 2018, Maria Butina was arrested by the special services of Washington and charged with espionage and aiding Russia against the United States of America.
Six months after her arrest, she was charged with a different, more serious charge about her belonging to a foreign intelligence service. However, evidence provided by her lawyer dropped all charges against Butina. Today Maria Valerievna still lives in America. She left political activity and works as a translator for books.
Personal life
Very little is known about Maria Butina's personal life. While still living in Russia, she got married and gave birth to a child, but after moving abroad, the marriage broke up. For several years, she was credited with having an intimate relationship with sixty-year-old American Paul Erickson. The same politician, because of whom she allegedly left Russia. However, Maria herself refutes these rumors.
