Russian-American Woman Sentenced to 12 Years for Donating $50 Charity

A Russian-American woman, Ksenia Karelina, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Russian court for treason after donating just over $50 to a US-based charity that supports Ukraine. Karelina, 33, had admitted guilt and was detained earlier this year in Yekaterinburg while visiting her grandparents.

The sentencing, announced on Thursday, followed a closed-door trial at the Sverdlovsk regional court. Prosecutors claimed that Karelina’s donation was used to buy equipment and ammunition for the Ukrainian military, according to RIA Novosti.

Her defense attorney, Mikhail Mushailov, stated that an appeal against the verdict would be filed.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, condemned the sentence as “vindictive cruelty,” criticizing the disproportionate punishment for what he described as a modest donation aimed at helping those in need.

Karelina’s conviction comes shortly after a significant prisoner swap between Russia and the West, which saw the release of 24 individuals, including former US Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich.

Mushailov had hoped that Karelina might be considered for a future prisoner exchange, stating that negotiations would be pursued after the verdict was finalized.

Karelina, a Los Angeles resident and amateur ballerina who obtained US citizenship in 2021, had traveled to Russia in January to visit family. Her boyfriend, Chris Van Heerden, expressed frustration and sadness over the sentence, lamenting that she was not included in the recent prisoner swap.

He wrote a letter to Karelina, which may not reach her until she is transferred to a prison camp, assuring her of his and America’s support and urging her to stay strong.

The charity Karelina donated to, Razom for Ukraine, based in New York, has expressed its shock and dismay over her detention.

This sentencing follows a recent increase in the maximum penalty for treason in Russia, which was raised to life imprisonment by President Vladimir Putin last April as part of a broader crackdown on dissent amid ongoing conflict.

Karelina’s trial took place in the same Yekaterinburg court where Evan Gershkovich was recently sentenced to 16 years for espionage before his release in the prisoner swap. Both cases were overseen by Judge Andrei Mineev.