Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American spa worker, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday by a Russian court after being convicted of treason for donating money to a charity that supports Ukraine. The Los Angeles resident pleaded guilty during her closed trial in Yekaterinburg.
Karelina, who is said to have obtained U.S. citizenship after marrying an American and relocating to Los Angeles, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February while visiting her family in Russia. She has since been in a Russian jail after being slapped with espionage charges. her case was being overseen by the same court that convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage in July.
Jailed for Donating to Ukraine
It's believed that when Karelina arrived at Koltsovo Airport in late January, her cell phone was searched using the keyword 'Ukraine.' Law enforcement reportedly found evidence of a bank transfer to a pro-Ukrainian foundation in the United States.
She was subsequently detained and charged with treason. Her supporters claim she had donated $51.80 to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based charity that provides humanitarian aid to children and the elderly in Ukraine.
According to news reports, Karelina pleaded guilty during her closed trial last week.
"The court found Ksenia Karelina guilty of high treason and sentenced her to 12 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony," the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg said on Thursday.
The charity has refuted claims that it offers any military support to Kyiv.
Karelina appeared in court on Thursday, dressed in a white sweatshirt and blue jeans, sitting quietly in a glass courtroom enclosure.
The 33-year-old was not part of the high-profile prisoner swap between Russia and the West last week that led to Gershkovich's release, but her lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said that she hopes to be included in a future exchange.
Trapped in Russia
Karelina was first detained on January 27 while visiting family in Yekaterinburg, nearly a month after flying to Russia, according to a Russian rights group. It is understood that law enforcement searched her phone for the word 'Ukraine' upon her arrival at Koltsovo Airport and discovered evidence of a donation.
Authorities reportedly found proof of a $51.80 bank transfer to a pro-Ukrainian foundation in the United States.
Rather than detaining her immediately, they asked her to visit a police station the next day.
When she complied, Yekaterinburg journalist Dmitry Kolezev reported that she was confronted by FSB officers.
According to Russian regional news agency URA.RU, she was initially charged with "swearing in a public place," an allegation she denied in court, as reported by Mediazona.
Karelina was first held for 14 days on charges of "petty hooliganism," but she was not released, as authorities charged her with "treason" while she was still in custody.
