Naama Issachar takes a selfie in Israel in this undated picture. Photo: Family photo/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo.

Naama Issachar, a US-Israeli woman jailed in Russia on drug charges, has asked for a pardon, Interfax news agency reported, citing a statement by her lawyers.

Israel has called on Russia to release Issachar, who was sentenced by a Russian court to seven-and-a-half years in jail for drug offenses in October.

The Kremlin said earlier that it was impossible for Issachar to be granted a presidential pardon without her first formally requesting one.