Photo: Ksenia Karelina
A Russian court on Thursday, August 15, sentenced Ksenia Karelina, who holds U.S. and Russian citizenship, to 12 years in prison after finding her guilty of treason for donating money to a charity supporting Ukraine.
Karelina, 33, who lived in Los Angeles where she worked at a spa, pleaded guilty during a closed court hearing in Yekaterinburg. Her case was heard by the same court that convicted Wall Street Journal contributor Evan Hershkovich on espionage charges in July.
The court reported that investigators found that on February 24, 2022 – the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine – Karelina “transferred funds in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”Karelina's supporters point out that she has donated $51.80 to Together for Ukraine, a New York-based charity that provides humanitarian aid to children and the elderly in Ukraine. The group denies that it provides any military support to Kiev.
Karelina was not included in the major prisoner swap between Russia and the West that resulted in the release of Gershkovich two weeks ago.
Her lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said she hoped to be included in a future swap.
Karelina came to Russia on an American passport. Russian law enforcement agencies interrogated her and confiscated her mobile phone. Karelina's Venmo account was found to contain information about a donation to the charity “Together for Ukraine.”
This was reported by the website www.freeksenia.com.
FSB officers interrogated Karelina for two hours and prohibited her from leaving the city, the website reports.
Three days before she was supposed to return to Los Angeles, she was arrested on charges of hooliganism and jailed for 15 days.
Shortly before her release, Karelina was charged with treason.
Karelina's family and friends in the United States describe her as a person who is not particularly interested in politics and say they are shocked by her arrest.
Karelina's boyfriend, Christopher van Heerden, told Reuters this month that he has been in contact with the State Department and the US Embassy in Moscow to secure her release.
Prepared by: Sergey Daga