A Russian-American ballerina is facing a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty to treason charges in a Kremlin-backed court. 33-year-old Ksenia Karelina’s crime was donating £40 to a Ukrainian charity.
Prosecutors are seeking a 15-year sentence, asserting that Karelina collected funds that were used to purchase tactical supplies for the Ukrainian army. Russia’s FSB spy agency said this £40 “was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces”.
The Los Angeles based ballerina was detained by authorities in Yekaterinburg, a city around 1000 miles east of Moscow, after a family visit in February. Her arrest came shortly after a significant prisoner exchange between Russia and the West, where 24 individuals jailed in seven different countries were swapped, sparking concerns that foreign citizens could become pawns in a new form of hostage diplomacy.
Karelina’s lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, has called prosecution’s request for a 15-year sentence in a penal colony excessively harsh, considering that Karelina has cooperated fully with the investigation and had pleaded guilty to the charges.
Mushailov responded to questions about a potential prisoner swap, saying that it was “impossible” for Karelina to be included in the recent prisoner exchange since such an exchange can only occur after a court verdict is in place.
The BBC reports that Karelina, who has been living away from Russia for several years and gained American citizenship in 2021, travelled to Russia for a family visit in January. Since her detainment, she has been unable to return to her home in Los Angeles.
Investigators reportedly brought the treason charge against Karelina after discovering she had donated approximately $50 (£39) to Razom, a charity that supports Ukraine. The charity said it was “appalled” by the situation.
The legal action came after Russian President Putin enacted harsher punshments for treason in April, 2023, in a bid to crackdown on dissent amid his ongoing invasion of Ukraine, where he increased the maximum sentence to life in prison.
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