NRA Leaders Travel to Moscow on Trip Arranged by Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin, Meet High-Level Russian Officials

Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin arranged and hosted a delegation of National Rifle Association members in Moscow from December 10-15, 2015. The delegation included NRA leaders such as Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and David Keene, a former NRA president. During the trip, the gun rights organization members met with high-level Russian government officials as arranged by Torshin.

Official NRA Trip Despite Later Denials

The trip was later revealed to be an official NRA trip meant to demonstrate Alexander Torshin’s American connections to the Kremlin, contrary to NRA statements that it was an unofficial trip. A 2019 Senate Finance Committee investigation found that NRA officials had advanced knowledge that they would meet with Russian officials on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) sanctions list during the trip.

This revelation exposed the NRA’s knowing participation in meetings with sanctioned Russian officials, raising serious questions about potential violations of U.S. sanctions law and the organization’s integrity in its public statements about the trip.

Demonstrating Influence to the Kremlin

The Moscow trip served multiple intelligence objectives for Russian operatives:

Proof of Access: Torshin could demonstrate to Kremlin leadership that he had successfully cultivated high-level American conservative leaders willing to travel to Moscow.

Relationship Building: Face-to-face meetings in Russia allowed for more extensive conversations and relationship development than possible at NRA conventions in the U.S.

Kompromat Potential: The trip created a record of NRA leaders meeting with sanctioned Russian officials, potentially useful for future leverage.

Normalization: Establishing direct channels between NRA leadership and Russian government officials during the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election.

Sanctions Violations Documented

The Senate Finance Committee’s 2019 investigation uncovered documents showing:

• NRA delegation members knew in advance they would meet with sanctioned Russian officials
• They met with employees or representatives of sanctioned entities
• The meetings were officially arranged, not chance encounters
• The NRA had misled the public about the nature and purpose of the trip

These findings suggested potential violations of U.S. sanctions law, which prohibits Americans from conducting business or establishing relationships with specially designated nationals without proper authorization.

The Delegation Members

The Moscow delegation included prominent conservative figures:

David Clarke: Milwaukee County Sheriff, frequent Fox News commentator, vocal Trump supporter. His participation lent law enforcement credibility to the operation.

David Keene: Former NRA president (2011-2013), respected conservative movement leader. His presence signaled high-level NRA endorsement of the Russia relationship.

The delegation’s composition demonstrated Butina and Torshin’s success in penetrating the upper echelons of American conservative politics through the NRA.

Part of Coordinated Campaign

The Moscow trip represented the culmination of Butina and Torshin’s cultivation efforts:

• April 2015: NRA convention attendance, Federal Reserve meeting
• December 2015: Moscow trip (this event)
• 2016: Continued efforts to connect with Trump campaign
• 2018-2019: Criminal prosecution and exposure of operation

The trip’s timing—one year before the 2016 presidential election—positioned Russian operatives to leverage their NRA connections during the campaign.

Significance: Weaponizing American Civil Society

The Moscow trip demonstrated how Russian intelligence operations successfully exploited American civil society organizations:

Legitimacy Shield: The NRA’s conservative credentials provided cover for what were effectively intelligence operations.

Access Networks: Gun rights advocacy created direct channels to Republican politicians and presidential candidates.

Plausible Deniability: Even when meeting with sanctioned officials, the “cultural exchange” framing provided superficial legitimacy.

Institutional Capture: The willingness of NRA leaders to travel to Moscow and meet with sanctioned Russian officials showed the depth of infiltration achieved.

When prominent American conservative leaders travel to Moscow to meet with Kremlin-connected officials on the eve of a presidential election, the line between civic engagement and foreign intelligence operations has been completely erased.