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Ksenia Karelina, a 32-year-old US-Russian citizen, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Russian court on Thursday for allegedly donating just over $50 to a pro-Ukraine charity. Karelina, who works as a ballet dancer and spa worker in Los Angeles, was visiting family in Yekaterinburg when she was detained by police in late January.
The Sverdlovsk Regional Court found Karelina guilty of high treason and sentenced her to imprisonment in a general regime colony.During the verdict reading, Karelina stood in a glass defendant’s cage, dressed in a white top and jeans, as shown in a video posted by the court.
According to US media reports, Karelina donated $51.80 to “Razom for Ukraine,” a New York-based charity, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale military offensive in February 2022. The FSB security service in Russia accused her of collecting money that was “used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.” Karelina pleaded guilty to the charges at a hearing last week, as reported by state media.
The United States has criticized Russia for arresting its citizens on baseless charges to use them as bargaining chips in securing the release of Russians convicted abroad. Karelina’s sentencing comes just over two weeks after Russia’s biggest prisoner swap with the West since the Cold War, which included the release of US reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US marine Paul Whelan, and 14 others.
Karelina’s employer, Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, stated on Facebook in February that she had been “wrongly accused,” and her partner has publicly petitioned for her release. According to a Russian rights group, Karelina was initially detained on January 27 while visiting family in Yekaterinburg, almost a month after arriving in Russia. Russian regional news agency URA.RU reported that the initial charge was related to “swearing in a public place,” which Karelina rejected in court, according to Mediazona news outlet.
FSB officers may have discovered she made the payment to the pro-Ukraine charity on her phone, but it was not clear how, according to Russian media outlets. Karelina was initially held for 14 days after being detained for “petty hooliganism” but was never released, as authorities charged her with “treason” while she was in custody. Russia is known to arrest foreigners on minor charges before accusing them of more serious offenses like treason or espionage.
The Sverdlovsk Regional Court found Karelina guilty of high treason and sentenced her to imprisonment in a general regime colony.During the verdict reading, Karelina stood in a glass defendant’s cage, dressed in a white top and jeans, as shown in a video posted by the court.
According to US media reports, Karelina donated $51.80 to “Razom for Ukraine,” a New York-based charity, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale military offensive in February 2022. The FSB security service in Russia accused her of collecting money that was “used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.” Karelina pleaded guilty to the charges at a hearing last week, as reported by state media.
The United States has criticized Russia for arresting its citizens on baseless charges to use them as bargaining chips in securing the release of Russians convicted abroad. Karelina’s sentencing comes just over two weeks after Russia’s biggest prisoner swap with the West since the Cold War, which included the release of US reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US marine Paul Whelan, and 14 others.
Karelina’s employer, Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, stated on Facebook in February that she had been “wrongly accused,” and her partner has publicly petitioned for her release. According to a Russian rights group, Karelina was initially detained on January 27 while visiting family in Yekaterinburg, almost a month after arriving in Russia. Russian regional news agency URA.RU reported that the initial charge was related to “swearing in a public place,” which Karelina rejected in court, according to Mediazona news outlet.
FSB officers may have discovered she made the payment to the pro-Ukraine charity on her phone, but it was not clear how, according to Russian media outlets. Karelina was initially held for 14 days after being detained for “petty hooliganism” but was never released, as authorities charged her with “treason” while she was in custody. Russia is known to arrest foreigners on minor charges before accusing them of more serious offenses like treason or espionage.
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