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Donald Trump Jr: Former Soviet counter intelligence officer confirms he attended Russian lawyer meeting Donald Trump Jr: Former Soviet counter intelligence officer confirms he attended Russian lawyer meeting
(about 3 hours later)
The Russian lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr after he had been told she wanted to provide him with incriminating information against Hillary Clinton, was accompanied by a Russian-American lobbyist who is said to have formerly worked for Russian military intelligence. The Russian lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr after he had been told she wanted to provide him with incriminating information against Hillary Clinton, was accompanied by a Russian-American lobbyist who is said to have formerly worked for Russian military intelligence.
Rinat Akhmetshin, a dual Russian-US citizen who is said to have formerly worked for Russian military intelligence and has worked as a Washington lobbyist on Russia issues for several years, has confirmed he attended the meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Rinat Akhmetshin, a dual Russian-US citizen who is said to have formerly worked for Russian military intelligence and has worked as a Washington lobbyist on Russia issues for several years, has confirmed he attended the meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, along with a translator.
Mr Trump Jr said in a statement he had had agreed to the meeting - also attended by Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort - because he was told Ms Veselnitskaya had information damaging to Ms Clinton that was “high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump”. He responded to the offer by saying: “If it’s what you say I love it - especially later in the summer.” Mr Trump Jr said in a statement he had had agreed to the meeting - also attended by Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort - because he was told Ms Veselnitskaya had information damaging to Ms Clinton that was “high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump”. He responded to the offer by saying: “If it’s what you say I love it - especially later in the summer.”
Mr Trump Jr has insisted the meeting did not amount to much, that he was offered no such information and that in truth Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to talk about the Magnitsky Act, a piece of US legislation that sanctions a handful of Russians the US believes were linked to the 2009 jail death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Mr Trump Jr has insisted the meeting did not amount to much, that he was offered no information on Ms Clinton and that in truth Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to talk about the Magnitsky Act, a piece of US legislation that sanctions a handful of Russians the US believes were potentially linked to the 2009 jail death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. 
NBC News first reported a former Russian intelligence agent attended the meeting, but did not name him. It said Ms Veselnitskaya had acknowledged she was accompanied by at least one other man, though she declined to identify him. She has denied offering any information to Mr Trump Jr or working for the Russian state. Mr Akhmetshin said he accompanied Ms Veselnitskaya to Trump Tower where they met an interpreter who participated in the meeting. He said he had learned about the meeting only that day when Ms Veselnitskaya asked him to attend. He said he showed up in jeans and a T-shirt. 
However, Mr Rinat has been closely associated with Ms Veselnitskaya for several years and has worked with her in an effort to overturn the Magnitsky Act.  During the meeting, Ms Akhmetshin claims Ms Veselnitskaya brought with her a plastic folder with printed-out documents that detailed what she believed could potentially be the flow of illicit funds to the Democratic National Committee. Veselnitskaya presented the contents of the documents to the Trump associates and suggested that making the information public could help the Trump campaign, he said. 
 Mr Akhmetshin is also said to have formerly worked for Russian military intelligence. Mr Trump Jr was said to have asked the lawyer if she had all the evidence to back up her claims according to Mr Akhmetshin, including whether she could demonstrate the flow of the money. But Ms Veselnitskaya  was said to have claimed the Trump campaign would need to research it more.
Ms Veselnitskaya has denied offering any information to Mr Trump Jr or working for the Russian state.
After that exchange, Mr Trump Jr lost interest, Mr Akhmetshin said. “They couldn't wait for the meeting to end,” he told the Associated Press. 
Mr Akhmetshin has been closely associated with Ms Veselnitskaya for several years and has worked with her in an effort to overturn the Magnitsky Act. 
In 2016, Ms Veselnitskaya’s client, Denis Katsyv, head of the company Prevezon, registered a nonprofit company in Delaware called the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation (HRAGIF) in February 2016, which says its aim is to overturn an adoption ban on impacting American couples but which many believe is a front to overturn the Magnitsky Act, the passage of which is said to have infuriated Vladimir Putin.In 2016, Ms Veselnitskaya’s client, Denis Katsyv, head of the company Prevezon, registered a nonprofit company in Delaware called the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation (HRAGIF) in February 2016, which says its aim is to overturn an adoption ban on impacting American couples but which many believe is a front to overturn the Magnitsky Act, the passage of which is said to have infuriated Vladimir Putin.
The HRAGIF’s registered lobbyist was Rinat Akhmetshin, who took UK citizenship in 2009. Earlier this year, senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he wanted to learn more about Mr Akhmetshin’s activities.The HRAGIF’s registered lobbyist was Rinat Akhmetshin, who took UK citizenship in 2009. Earlier this year, senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he wanted to learn more about Mr Akhmetshin’s activities.
In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security in April, Mr Grassley wrote: “I write to obtain information regarding Mr Rinat Akhmetshin, a Russian immigrant to the United States who has been accused of acting as an unregistered agent for Russian interests and apparently has ties to Russian intelligence.” In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security in April, Mr Grassley wrote: “I write to obtain information regarding Mr Rinat Akhmetshin, a Russian immigrant to the United States who has been accused of acting as an unregistered agent for Russian interests and apparently has ties to Russian intelligence.” 
He added: "Mr Akhmetshin is a Russian immigrant to the US who has admitted having been a “Soviet counterintelligence officer.” In fact, it has been reported that he worked for the GRU and allegedly specialises in “active measures campaigns,” i.e, subversive political influence operations often involving disinformation and propaganda.”He added: "Mr Akhmetshin is a Russian immigrant to the US who has admitted having been a “Soviet counterintelligence officer.” In fact, it has been reported that he worked for the GRU and allegedly specialises in “active measures campaigns,” i.e, subversive political influence operations often involving disinformation and propaganda.”
Mr Akhmetshin did not respond to repeated inquiries from The Independent, though he did confirm his presence at the meeting to the Associated Press.. He has previously denied working for the Kremlin. President Donald Trump’s lawyers also failed to respond. Mr Akhmetshin did not respond to repeated inquiries from The Independent. President Donald Trump’s lawyers also failed to respond
The admission by Mr Trump Jr that he met with someone he believed was able to provide incriminating information about his father’s rival has led many legal commentators to suggest he may have committed collusion. Now, his account of the meeting, which has shifted several times, appears to have changed again - at least in his failure to mention the presence of Mr Akhmetshin. Mr Akhmetshin has denied that he worked for Russia's military intelligence service known as the GRU, saying he served in the Soviet Army from 1986 to 1988 after he was drafted but was not trained in spy tradecraft. He said his unit operated in the Baltics and was “loosely part of counterintelligence.” 
The development has infuriated the President, who had hoped to get away from the Russia story, even as special prosecutor Robert Mueller continues a probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia’s alleged effort to interfere in the 2016 election. Mr Trump Jr's account of the meeting, which has shifted several times, failed to mention the presence of Mr Akhmetshin. CNN has also reported that there were a number of people in the room for the meeting other than Ms Veselnitskaya, Mr Kushner and Mr Manafort - but did not say how many.
The development has infuriated President Trump, who had hoped to get away from the Russia story, even as special prosecutor Robert Mueller continues a probe into possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia’s alleged effort to interfere in the 2016 election.
Mr Akhmetshin said he has not been contacted by the special counsel's office or the FBI about the meeting with Mr Trump Jr He said he is willing to talk with the Senate Judiciary Committee. 
Earlier this week, Mr Trump was obliged to defend his eldest son, saying that “anyone” would have taken the meeting.Earlier this week, Mr Trump was obliged to defend his eldest son, saying that “anyone” would have taken the meeting.
Speaking in France, where he was meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, he said: “I do think this, that taken from a practical standpoint … most people would’ve taken that meeting. It’s called opposition research, or even research into your opponent. I’ve only been in politics for two years, but I’ve had many people call up, ‘Oh gee, we have information on this factor or this person’, or, frankly, Hillary.”Speaking in France, where he was meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, he said: “I do think this, that taken from a practical standpoint … most people would’ve taken that meeting. It’s called opposition research, or even research into your opponent. I’ve only been in politics for two years, but I’ve had many people call up, ‘Oh gee, we have information on this factor or this person’, or, frankly, Hillary.”
He added: “That’s very standard in politics. Politics is not the nicest business in the world.”He added: “That’s very standard in politics. Politics is not the nicest business in the world.”