In New York, the FBI detained and interrogated a Russian State Duma deputy: outraged in the Kremlin

At the airport to them. John F. Kennedy (New York) The FSB detained the deputy of the Russian State Duma Inga Yumasheva. An FBI officer interrogated her for an hour. The reason for the detention and interrogation is still unknown. Writes about it with the BBC.

Photo: Facebook / inga.yumasheva

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has protested the United States in connection with this situation. A note of protest was sent to the State Department and the Russian Embassy in Washington. Inga Yumasheva herself has not yet commented on the situation.

A new high-profile scandal in Russian-American relations became known from a statement by Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov. On Saturday evening, Washington time, he reported that 34-year-old State Duma deputy, television and radio presenter Inga Yumasheva, who had flown to the United States to participate in the Russian-American forum Fort Ross Dialogue, was unexpectedly detained in the arrivals area of ​​New York airport them. John Kennedy.

“Two days ago, State Duma deputy Inga Albertovna Yumasheva came to us; she was detained at the New York airport, she was asked to go to a separate room, and an FBI officer, who introduced himself, began interrogating her for an hour,” said the Russian ambassador.

Anatoly Antonov also added that the intelligence officer suggested that Yumasheva “continue communication” by meeting in an “informal setting.”

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The diplomat did not explain why the embassy took a two-day pause before protesting the State Department about the detention of the deputy.

On Sunday, October 6, in the evening, the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky said that Yumasheva would complete her visit to the United States according to a previously planned program.

“Yumasheva’s visit to the United States will continue according to the previously established plan,” Slutsky said, adding that “it will take a few more days.”

Inga Yumasheva herself has so far refused any comments and only said that she made this decision after “communication with colleagues in the Duma.”

As we managed to find out, the deputy flew to the United States on a general passport, in which there was a B1 / B2 visa issued for short-term tourist or business trips.

A source at the Russian embassy in Washington, who agreed to comment on the condition of anonymity, called the incident “outrageous” but admitted that in the case of the airport detention, “there are many questions.”

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“The young girl was really scared and could, of course, have mixed up something, although no one denies the fact of the interrogation,” he said.

The diplomat suggested that this could be a routine when a person suspecting the U.S. immigration authorities is questioned at the airport of arrival to find out if he or she is planning to illegally stay in the United States.

“All this is still speculation, and we need to wait for an official response from the American authorities,” he explained.

The State Department did not respond to requests for comment. The FBI National Press Office said it had “no comment” on the scandalous situation.

Inga Yumasheva coordinates in the State Duma the work of the liaison group with the US Congress.

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She has repeatedly participated in the Fort Ross Dialogue forum, held annually in California since 2012. The event is sponsored by Transneft, Shevron and PJSC Sovcomflot.

On October 3 on October 2019, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that the US side had not issued a visa to a group of Russian foreign policy officials about to attend the forum.

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