- A 33-year-old ballerina was accused of treason by Russian authorities.
- Kseniya Karelina donated $51.80 to a US-based Ukrainian charity in February 2022.
- Russia accused Karelina of raising funds for the Ukrainian military to buy weapons and equipment.
A Russian-American ballerina was accused of treason by Russian authorities after donating to a Ukrainian charity.
On Tuesday, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement that it had detained a 33-year-old Los Angeles resident.
The FSB said the woman held dual citizenship and accused her of “repeatedly taking part in public actions in support of the Kyiv regime” in the US.
“Since February 2022, she has proactively collected funds in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the FSB wrote.
A senior US official told NBC News on Tuesday that the woman is a ballerina named Kseniya Karelina. The official said Karelina had obtained her US citizenship in 2021.
Karelina had reportedly donated $51.80 to a US-based Ukrainian charity Razom for Ukraine in February 2022, according to Russian legal rights group, Perviy Otdel. She could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Razom said in a statement on Tuesday that it was “appalled” by the development. The charity said it is “focused on humanitarian aid, disaster relief, education and advocacy.”
Karelina isn’t the only American national to have been detained by Russia since it invaded Ukraine two years ago.
Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was arrested by Russia on espionage charges in March. The FSB accused Gershkovich of “trying to obtain secret information” and that he was acting “on the instructions of the United States.” The 32-year-old has been detained for nearly a year.
On Tuesday, a Russian court rejected his latest appeal. The Journal said in a report on the same day that Gershkovich “is set to remain behind bars until at least March 30.”
