Home US American ballerina Ksenia Karelina is detained for ‘high treason’ in Russia by Putin’s feared FSB security accused of raising $51 for the Ukrainian army and could face 20 years in jail if found guilty

American ballerina Ksenia Karelina is detained for ‘high treason’ in Russia by Putin’s feared FSB security accused of raising $51 for the Ukrainian army and could face 20 years in jail if found guilty

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Ksenia Karelina, 33, during her first court appearance on Tuesday
  • A video published by a Russian news agency shows Ksenia Karelina, 33, being led into a courtroom in handcuffs and with her face blurred.

Vladimir Putin’s secret security force, the FSB, arrested a dual Russian-American citizen on treason charges, officials said Tuesday.

A video published by a Russian news agency shows Ksenia Karelina, 33, being led into a courtroom in handcuffs and with her face blurred. She was arrested the same day Putin sat down for a widely criticized interview with Tucker Carlson.

According to the agency, Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles. She is accused of raising funds for a Ukrainian cause. She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from a US bank account to the Ukrainian charity Razom.

Karolina was detained in the city of Yekaterinburg, more than 1,300 kilometers east of Moscow. It’s the same city where Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on espionage charges nearly 12 months ago.

On her Facebook page, Karelina says she is originally from the city.

Karolina is accused of “proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicines, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the FSB alleges.

“In addition, the citizen in question repeatedly participated in public actions in support of the kyiv regime while in the United States,” the agency added. The Moscow Times.

Ksenia Karelina, 33, during her first court appearance on Tuesday

A statement from Russian officials refers to Karelina as a resident of Los Angeles.

A statement from Russian officials refers to Karelina as a resident of Los Angeles.

Karelina is accused of raising funds for a pro-Ukrainian organization; she obtained US citizenship in 2021

Karelina is accused of raising funds for a pro-Ukrainian organization; she obtained US citizenship in 2021

The Russian-language media Mediazona reports that Karelina has been a US citizen since 2021 and that in 2023 she married an American man.

Karelina graduated from the Ural Federal University in 2013.

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

On the same day that Karelina’s arrest was announced, Gershkovich appeared before a Moscow court where his preventive detention was extended.

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of “petty vandalism,” for using profanity. While she was in custody, those charges were upgraded to “high treason.”

The outlet goes on to report that Karelina stopped posting on the Russian social media site VK in 2021 after discussing obtaining US citizenship on the platform.

Razom, the Ukrainian charity he is accused of supporting, describes itself as “contributing to the establishment of a secure, prosperous and democratic Ukraine.”

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a position she has held since 2019.

Karelina is the latest American behind bars in Russia, in addition to Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and Texas father David Barnes, 65, who last week was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on abuse charges. childish.

Earlier this month, Putin told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that he was open to the idea of ​​releasing Americans detained in Russian prisons, but did not discuss specific details.

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a position she has held since 2019.

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a position she has held since 2019.

Mediazona reports that Karelina was arrested for the first time accused of

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of “petty vandalism,” for using profanity. While she was in custody, those charges were upgraded to “high treason.”

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