Russian-American Woman Faces Treason Trial for Allegedly Funding Ukrainian Army

A Russian-American woman, Ksenia Karelina, has been put on trial for alleged treason in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The charges stem from accusations that she raised funds to support the Ukrainian army. Karelina, who was born in Russia but had been living in Los Angeles for over a decade, faces a potential sentence of 12 years to life in prison if found guilty.

The trial, which began on Thursday, is being held behind closed doors, following the customary practice in such cases in Russia. Acquittals in treason cases are rare in the country. A short video released by the court shows Karelina sitting in a glass cage, dressed in jeans and a green plaid shirt. Despite the circumstances, she smiled faintly as reporters took photographs.

Karelina was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in January while visiting her family in Yekaterinburg. Initially arrested under a minor charge of “petty hooliganism,” she was later charged with treason. The arrest came as part of a growing trend of foreign nationals, including at least a dozen Americans, being imprisoned in Russia amid the strained relations between Moscow and Washington during the Ukraine war.

According to Karelina’s former mother-in-law, Eleonora Srebroski, Karelina had made a small donation to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit organization that provides non-military assistance to Ukraine. Karelina, in her early thirties, had immigrated to the United States in 2012 and had briefly been married to Srebroski’s son. Her ex-husband described her as a fun-loving woman who showed little interest in politics.

Karelina’s social media profiles depict a carefree life, with photos of her enjoying beach trips and vacations, devoid of any political messaging. One photo from November 2021 shows her waving a small American flag, accompanied by the caption, “Citizenship.”