Ksenia Karelina (ksenia karelina) is a woman with dual Russian and American citizenship. On August 15, local time, Karenina was found guilty of "treason" in a closed-door trial in Yekaterinburg, Russia's Ural region, and will be imprisoned for 12 years.
It is said that Karelina has pleaded guilty on the advice of her lawyer, and she will serve her sentence in Russia. White House national security spokesman John Kirby responded, calling the "cruel sentence" and saying the United States would continue to seek consular access and press for her release. Kirby told reporters: "This is an act of vindictive cruelty. We are just using $50 to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people and calling it treason is simply ridiculous."
Karelina is an amateur ballerina An actress, she was also a beautician who worked at a spa in Los Angeles before traveling to Russia.
After graduating from Ural Federal University, Karelina went to the United States. She has been living there and became a U.S. citizen 8 years later. At the same time, she did not give up her Russian citizenship because her grandparents, parents, and younger sister still live there. .
In January this year, Karelina went home to visit relatives. She first flew to Istanbul, and then flew from there to Yekaterinburg, which was not easy.
Shortly after getting off the plane, she was arrested and detained by the Russian Federal Security Service on the grounds that she had donated to a charity, and that organization was believed to have helped the Ukrainian army. "The funds were used to purchase tactical medical supplies, Equipment, means of defeat and ammunition."
Razom, the organizer of the charity, said he was "shocked" by the news of Karelina's arrest. He also said that the organization had no connection with the Ukrainian army. They help children and the elderly affected by conflict.
After being detained for 7 months, Karelina knew her final fate. She had to go to prison for 12 years because of her kindness. Although the kindness was not very big, it was only 51.8 US dollars.
Regarding her future fate, there has been no news from Karelina, but she had contacted her colleagues during her detention, saying that she "had a toothbrush and shampoo, but that was all, and it was too crowded there." It's cold." In addition, she also hopes that her colleagues will help her sell the car because she doesn't know when she will be able to come back.
Karelina's boyfriend, South African boxer Stoffel van Heerden, is also running to save her.
According to the boxer, who has long lived in California, they met four years ago and originally planned to get engaged after Karelina returned from visiting relatives. Hilden said he was "angry and sad" about the 12-year sentence.
Karelina's conviction also prompted the U.S. State Department to once again issue recommendations, hoping that Americans should not travel to Russia, and also urged Americans currently in Russia to leave as soon as possible.
It is reported that Karelinaâs arrest was also accidental. After learning that she held a U.S. passport, immigration officials interrogated Karelina and then confiscated her cell phone, where they found records of donations to the charity about two years ago.
