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russia collusion

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Nastya Rybka, who said she had evidence of Russian collusion with Donald Trump’s election campaign, has been detained by Russian police.

The 27-year-old Belarusian model, real name Anastasia Vashukevich, was arrested at Moscow’s main airport after being deported from Thailand for soliciting.

Her lawyer posted a video on Instagram which, he says, shows her arrest.

The video shows a woman resembling Nastya Rybka and looking sedated struggles as four men push her into a wheelchair, then carry her.

The video clip posted by lawyer Dmitry Zatsarinsky has now been tweeted by Russian broadcasters and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny.

Dmitry Zatsarinsky said the model had planned to get a connecting flight to Minsk, the Belarusian capital, but had been seized and dragged from the transit zone on to Russian territory, then whisked away to a police station.

The lawyer called the Russian action “an international scandal”.

A Russian interior ministry statement, quoted by local media, says Nastya Rybka and three others detained with her at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport are accused of “luring into prostitution and practicing it”. The crime can be punished with up to six years’ jail.

Among the four held is Belarusian Alexander Kirillov, who was in custody with Nastya Rybka in Thailand.

They spent nine months in custody before a Thai court handed them a suspended 18-month sentence for soliciting. Thailand deported them on January 17, taking account of their time spent in custody.

They and five others – both Belarusians and Russians – pleaded guilty, after which they were deported.

While in custody, Nastya Rybka and Alexander Kirillov sought help from the US embassy, fearing extradition to Russia.

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Nastya Rybka said she had evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election campaign, allegedly obtained through an acquaintance with Russian billionaire industrialist Oleg Deripaska.

Oleg Deripaska denied the allegations and successfully sued both Nastya Rybka and Alexander Kirillov.

The billionaire is on the list of Russian oligarchs and politicians subject to US sanctions for alleged “malign activities” around the world.

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The US ordered Russia to close its San Francisco consulate and two trade missions in response to “unwarranted” Russian action, the State Department has announced.

The San Francisco consulate, and annexes in New York and Washington, must close by September 2.

The State Department’s move follows Moscow’s reduction of US diplomatic staff in Russia last month.

That in turn followed new US sanctions on Russia over Crimea and alleged election interference, which led to the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats.

In December 2016, former President Barack Obama had ordered those expulsions, along with the closure of two compounds.

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin did not respond initially to that move, with President Trump set to assume office, he then announced on July 31 a reduction of 755 US diplomatic staff in Russia, in retaliation for the US sanctions.

The US diplomats expelled have until September 1 to leave Russia – a day before the US closures of the Russian consulate and two annexes, which are trade missions, must be completed.

Image source Wikimedia

A senior administration official said on August 31 that the consulate and the residence attached to it as well as the two trade missions would close but no Russian staff would be required to leave the US.

Russia will be allowed to maintain the properties, but not use them, the official added.

According to the State Department, the US actions were “in the spirit of parity”. It blamed Russia for what it called a downward spiral in bilateral ties, but suggested it wanted an end to the current spat.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement: “The United States hopes that, having moved toward the Russian Federation’s desire for parity, we can avoid further retaliatory actions by both sides and move forward to achieve the stated goal of both our presidents: improved relations between our two countries and increased co-operation on areas of mutual concern.”

The move leaves each country with three consulates in place, Heather Nauert added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone call on August 31, expressing “regret at the escalation of tensions in bilateral relations”.

According to a statement from the Russian foreign ministry, Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would study the order and respond accordingly.

Sergei Lavrov and Rex Tillerson are due to meet in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Earlier this month, President Trump said US relations with Russia were at a “dangerous low” amid a row with Congress over the fresh sanctions against Moscow.

The president, who wanted warmer ties with Russia, had opposed the bill, which included a provision that limits his ability to lift sanctions and forces him to consult Congress first.

President Trump has been dogged by claims that Russia tried to sway the election in his favor and several investigations are under way to determine whether anyone from his campaign colluded with Moscow.

However, Russia has repeatedly denied interfering and President Trump has insisted that there was no collusion, calling the investigations a “witch hunt”.