Ksenia Karelin, Holding Dual U.S. and Russian Citizenship, Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

The Sverdlovsk Regional Court has sentenced Ksenia Karelin, a U.S. and Russian citizen, to 12 years in prison after finding her guilty of "state treason." The 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles was arrested in January of this year in Yekaterinburg on charges of hooliganism. The charges against her were later reclassified.

The Russian Prosecutor's Office accuses Karelin of collecting donations for the Ukrainian military. Prosecutors claim that on the first day of the Russia-Ukraine war, Karelin transferred $50 from her American bank account to one of the Ukrainian foundations. Russian authorities characterize this donation as "funding for the Armed Forces of Ukraine."