Category: World / News / Russia
The Los Angeles-based ballet dancer Xenia Karelina, who holds both US and Russian citizenship, was sentenced to twelve years in a penal colony in Russia. The charge: high treason.
In February 2022, Karelina had made a donation of 50 US dollars to the ‘Razom for Ukraine’ association, which supported Ukraine in the midst of the Russian invasion. The Russian secret service FSB claims that the money was used for medical items, equipment and possibly even ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.
Karelina was arrested during a family visit to Yekaterinburg and pleaded guilty in court, according to Russian sources. However, her lawyer denies that she was aware of the anti-Russian intentions and plans to appeal against the judgement.
The US government has sharply criticised the trial and described it as a ‘farce’, with Washington accusing Moscow of deliberately arresting US citizens on unfounded charges. This practice is seen in the US as part of a Kremlin strategy to use political prisoners as leverage for the release of Russians convicted abroad. Recently, there have been repeated prisoner exchanges between the US and Russia, which has heightened concerns about such politically motivated detentions.
Karolina's conviction has attracted international attention and further contributes to tensions between the US and Russia, which are increasingly exacerbated by such cases.
Photo: Denis Oliveira / unsplash.com
Ksenia Karelina, also known as Khavana sits in a glass cage in a court room in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Thursday, June 20, 2024. The trial of a woman with dual US-Russian citizenship on charges of treason (AP Photo)
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