The Russian court has sentenced Ksenia Karelina, a U.S.-Russian ballerina, to 12 years in a penal colony for “high treason” after she allegedly transferred funds to a Ukrainian charity in February 2022 during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Karelina was visiting family in Russia when investigators found that she had donated $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity, although the authorities have not confirmed this amount. This is part of a crackdown on dissent in Russia since the start of the war, with any criticism of the military being banned.
Karelina’s defense lawyer plans to appeal the sentence and work towards a prisoner swap, following the release of four U.S. residents in a recent prisoner exchange. The Russian Federal Security Service claims that Karelina’s donation was used to purchase supplies and weapons for the Ukrainian armed forces. Karelina admitted her guilt in a closed trial and stated that she did not intend for her money to be used for anti-Russian actions.
Born in Russia and a dual U.S.-Russian citizen, Karelina studied in the U.S. before moving to Los Angeles. The verdict will come into effect in 15 days unless appealed. This case is part of a broader pattern of detentions of citizens of Western nations in Russia amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
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