An American ballet dancer has been jailed for 12 years for donating just over $50 to a Ukrainian charity.
Ksenia Karelina, 33, was sentenced to 12 years in a general regime colony by the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg, Russia, per BBC News.
Karelina, who was born in Russia but later became a U.S. citizen after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to the charges last week.
Karelina was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February during a visit to her native country, where she was seeing relatives, including her elderly grandmother.
Upon her arrival at Koltsovo Airport in late January, Russian authorities searched her phone using the keyword "Ukraine" and allegedly discovered evidence of a bank transfer to a pro-Ukrainian foundation based in the United States.
Prosecutors had initially sought a 15-year prison term, but the court in Yekaterinburg sentenced Karelina to 12 years in a general regime penal colony after finding her guilty of high treason.
Russia's FSB security service accused Karelina of raising funds for a Ukrainian organization that allegedly provided arms to the Ukrainian military.
Human rights activists, however, stated that while living in the U.S., she made a single transfer of $51.80 on February 22, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The FSB reportedly discovered this transaction on her phone.
Karelina’s lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said his client only admitted to making the transfer, believing the funds would aid victims on both sides of the conflict. He also confirmed that she would appeal the sentence.
The charity in question, Razom for Ukraine, responded earlier this year by expressing shock at Karelina’s arrest.
The organization denied any involvement in raising money for weapons or ammunition, describing itself as a U.S.-founded charity focused on humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
Karelina's trial, which began in June, took place in the same court where Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was convicted of espionage earlier this year, per the Daily Mail.
Gershkovich was released earlier this month as part of a major prisoner swap between Russia and the U.S. and other Western countries.
Karelina’s boyfriend, boxer Chris van Heerden, expressed his frustration and anger over the situation in an interview with CBS News.
"I woke up to the news this morning. I'm still sitting here processing what's happening," he said. Van Heerden, who had been advocating for her release for the past eight months, also noted that Karelina was not included in the recent prisoner swap.
"Ksenia should be home, and I'm angry, and I'm trying to hold my composure."
Initially, when Karelina was detained, rights group Perviy Otdel reported that she was accused of swearing in public, leading to her arrest for "petty hooliganism."
However, her detention was extended when the FSB leveled the more serious charge of treason against her.
Before her arrest, Karelina had been working at a hotel spa in Beverly Hills. She traveled to Yekaterinburg to visit her parents and her elderly grandmother.
