A Belarusian escort who claimed she had proof of Russian collusion with Donald Trump's election campaign was freed from a Russian jail on Tuesday following her arrest last week, lawyers said.
Anastasia Vashukevich, also known as Nastya Rybka, was arrested alongside Alexander Kirillov, a self-styled sex guru, when the two arrived at Moscow's main airport following their deportation from Thailand last Thursday.
Vashukevich had been planning to travel on to the Belarusian capital Minsk.
"The investigation made a decision to free them from jail with the obligation to appear" for further proceedings, Kirillov's lawyer Svetlana Sidorkina told AFP.
Vashukevich was under arrest in Russia as a suspect in a probe into "coercion into prostitution" though the details of the case and her specific involvement have not been made clear.
She was deported from Thailand after pleading guilty to participating in a "sex training course".
Vashukevich became famous after posting videos allegedly showing tycoon Oleg Deripaska and an influential Russian deputy prime minister on a yacht.
While in Thai prison, she said she had information about Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections.
Her lawyer Dmitry Zatsarinsky posted a video on Instagram Tuesday apparently showing him and Vashukevich in a car following her release.
"Nastya Rybka is free. We're going home," he says, as Vashukevich flashes a peace sign and laughs.
The decision to free her was unexpected following a court ruling on Saturday to extend her detention.
Belarusian officials on Tuesday issued their first comments about her detention, with Natalia Eismont, a spokeswoman for President Alexander Lukashenko, telling media that the Belarusian leader "has given orders to immediately work on the release of the citizen of Belarus."
Belarus' Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey said Vashukevich is free to come home but must turn up for her next court hearing in Moscow, according to Belarusian media.
Sitting in a glass cage during the Saturday hearing, Vashukevich told journalists she wanted to apologise to Deripaska and no longer wants to "compromise him" or publish a book on seducing oligarchs.
"I've had enough," she said.
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny on Monday alleged that Deripaska was behind the prosecution of Vashukevich, who calls herself "Deripaska's mistress" on her Instagram account.
The tycoon, who was sanctioned by the United States last year, has previously sued Vashukevich for invasion of privacy.
Navalny's team, whose blog initially drew the public's attention to the yacht videos published by Vashukevich, said Tuesday they have filed a police report against Deripaska, asking to launch probes into organising prostitution, taking bribes, and other offences related to Vashukevich.
A Belarusian escort who claimed she had proof of Russian collusion with Donald Trump’s election campaign was freed from a Russian jail on Tuesday following her arrest last week, lawyers said.
Anastasia Vashukevich, also known as Nastya Rybka, was arrested alongside Alexander Kirillov, a self-styled sex guru, when the two arrived at Moscow’s main airport following their deportation from Thailand last Thursday.
Vashukevich had been planning to travel on to the Belarusian capital Minsk.
“The investigation made a decision to free them from jail with the obligation to appear” for further proceedings, Kirillov’s lawyer Svetlana Sidorkina told AFP.
Vashukevich was under arrest in Russia as a suspect in a probe into “coercion into prostitution” though the details of the case and her specific involvement have not been made clear.
She was deported from Thailand after pleading guilty to participating in a “sex training course”.
Vashukevich became famous after posting videos allegedly showing tycoon Oleg Deripaska and an influential Russian deputy prime minister on a yacht.
While in Thai prison, she said she had information about Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections.
Her lawyer Dmitry Zatsarinsky posted a video on Instagram Tuesday apparently showing him and Vashukevich in a car following her release.
“Nastya Rybka is free. We’re going home,” he says, as Vashukevich flashes a peace sign and laughs.
The decision to free her was unexpected following a court ruling on Saturday to extend her detention.
Belarusian officials on Tuesday issued their first comments about her detention, with Natalia Eismont, a spokeswoman for President Alexander Lukashenko, telling media that the Belarusian leader “has given orders to immediately work on the release of the citizen of Belarus.”
Belarus’ Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey said Vashukevich is free to come home but must turn up for her next court hearing in Moscow, according to Belarusian media.
Sitting in a glass cage during the Saturday hearing, Vashukevich told journalists she wanted to apologise to Deripaska and no longer wants to “compromise him” or publish a book on seducing oligarchs.
“I’ve had enough,” she said.
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny on Monday alleged that Deripaska was behind the prosecution of Vashukevich, who calls herself “Deripaska’s mistress” on her Instagram account.
The tycoon, who was sanctioned by the United States last year, has previously sued Vashukevich for invasion of privacy.
Navalny’s team, whose blog initially drew the public’s attention to the yacht videos published by Vashukevich, said Tuesday they have filed a police report against Deripaska, asking to launch probes into organising prostitution, taking bribes, and other offences related to Vashukevich.
