As he stood on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews late Thursday night, Pavel Butorin was in disbelief.
Days before, his wife of two decades — Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva — had been sentenced to 6½ years in a Russian prison for spreading false information about the country’s military, a conviction press freedom and human rights groups denounced as politically-motivated.
“It was only then when I realized it is actually happening,” Butorin told NBC News.
While on the tarmac, their younger daughter described how much she just wanted to touch Kurmasheva, Butorin said.
"No matter what verdict or sentence a corrupt Russian court issued against her, we know that she’s not a criminal."
Persons:
Base Andrews, Pavel Butorin, Alsu Kurmasheva —, Butorin, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, ” Butorin, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Alsu Kurmasheva, Roberto Schmidt, Taylor, Miriam, wasn’t, ”, Bibi, ” Kurmasheva, ” Bibi, “, Kurmasheva
Organizations:
Base, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Wall Street, Marine, NBC News, Base Andrews, AFP, Getty, White
Locations:
American, Prague, Russia, Radio Free Europe, Maryland, Poland, United States