Ksenia Karelina, a dual Russian-American national, is currently on trial in Yekaterinburg, Russia, facing charges of high treason. The 32-year-old, who lived in California, is accused of transferring funds to a Ukrainian organization that allegedly used the money to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to Russian investigators, Karelina's actions date back to February 2022, shortly after the Kremlin launched its assault on Ukraine.
Karelina, an amateur dancer and U.S. citizen since 2021, traveled to Russia earlier this year to visit her family. However, in February 2024, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced her arrest, accusing her of participating in public actions supporting the Kyiv regime. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison.
The trial, which began this Thursday, is being held behind closed doors. Images from the courtroom show Karelina, dressed in a green shirt and jeans, sitting in the glass cage reserved for the accused. Her boyfriend, Chris Van Heerden, revealed that he had bought her tickets to Russia as a birthday gift, adding that she was proud to be Russian and did not engage in discussions about the war.
This case is part of a broader pattern of repression in Russia, where thousands of individuals opposed to President Vladimir Putin's offensive against Ukraine have been prosecuted. Notably, American journalist Evan Gershkovich is also set to stand trial in Yekaterinburg on June 26, facing espionage charges. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was detained in March 2023 while reporting in Russia. Both he and his employer deny the accusations, and talks are reportedly underway for a potential exchange involving a man convicted in Germany of carrying out an assassination on behalf of Moscow.
Karelina's employer, a spa in Beverly Hills, California, confirmed that she donated $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity. The New York-based nonprofit Razom for Ukraine, the organization to which Karelina allegedly gave money, has expressed dismay over her arrest. Russian investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov suggested that the FSB aims to create a 'bank of hostages with American passports' to leverage in negotiations with Washington.
- Karelina's trial underscores the heightened tensions between Russia and the West, particularly the United States, amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The charges against her and other detained American citizens reflect a broader strategy by Russian authorities to suppress dissent and use foreign nationals as bargaining chips.
- The U.S. government has been made aware of Karelina's detention, but it remains unclear what steps will be taken to secure her release. The case has drawn significant media attention, highlighting the precarious situation for dual nationals and foreign visitors in Russia during this period of geopolitical strife.
