Butyrskaya competed for the Soviet Union until its dissolution and then began representing Russia. She first showed promise with a victory ahead of veterans Josée Chouinard and Tonya Harding at the 1992 Skate Canada International, with her free skate including five triples, and then placed 5th in her European Championship debut. At the 1993 World Championships, Butyrskaya did not advance past the qualifying round, which resulted in Russia having no entry in ladies' singles at the 1994 Olympics. In the 1993–94 season, she finished second behind Olga Markova at the Russian Nationals and 4th behind Markova at that year's Europeans. Markova thus received Russia's lone berth to the 1994 World Championships.