Ksenia Karelina, a 32-year-old US-Russian resident, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Russian court on Thursday for allegedly donating only over$ 50 to a pro-Ukraine generosity. Karelina, who also works as a dance performer and resort worker in Los Angeles, was on a trip to Yekaterinburg with her family when she was detained by police in late January.
Karelina was found guilty of great crime and given a sentence of imprisonment in a general-style town by the Sverdlovsk Regional Court. During the ruling reading, Karelina stood in a crystal defendant’s box, dressed in a white top and clothing, as shown in a movie 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. She was accused of colluding wealth by the Russian FSB security services of paying for the Ukrainian armed forces’ “tactical medical supplies, products, weapons, and ammunition” purchase. Karelina admitted guilt to the fees at a hearing last month, according to state media reports.
Russia’s arrest of its citizens on false charges has been criticized by the United States as a means of negotiating for the transfer of Russians who have been found guilty worldwide. Karelina’s punishment comes just over two months after Russia’s biggest slave swap with the West since the Cold War, which included the transfer of US writer Evan Gershkovich, previous US sea Paul Whelan, and 14 people.
Karelina’s company, Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, stated on Instagram in February that she had been “wrongly accused”, and her partner has formally petitioned for her transfer. Karelina was detained on January 27 while visiting her home in Yekaterinburg, nearly a fortnight after arriving in Russia, according to a Russian right organization. Russian local news organization URA According to Mediazona news channel, Karelina initially claimed the charge was related to “wearing in public places,” which the RU reported.
According to Russian media sources, it was unclear how FSB officials may have discovered how she paid the pro-Ukraine generosity on her telephone. Karelina was first held for 14 days after being detained for “petty violence” but was never released, as government charged her with” crime” while she was in prison. Russia is known to detain foreigners on small acts before bringing charges of treason or spy against them.
