Ksenia Karelina
Russian-American ballet dancer imprisoned for treason From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ksenia Karelina (also Ksenia Khavana; born December 13, 1991) is a Russian-American ballet dancer and spa employee who was imprisoned for treason by the Russian government.[1][2][3][4] The FSB accused Karelina of taking part in "public actions to support the Kyiv regime"[5] for donating $51.80 to a charity supporting Ukraine. She was originally facing life in prison as a result, but was instead sentenced to 12 years.[6][7] She was released on April 10, 2025, as part of a prisoner exchange.[8]
Ksenia Karelina | |
|---|---|
Ксения Карелина | |
| Born | December 13, 1991 |
| Citizenship | Russia United States |
| Alma mater | Ural Federal University |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Criminal charges | Treason |
| Criminal penalty | 12 years imprisonment |
| Criminal status | Released in an exchange deal |
Early life
Karelina was born in Yekaterinburg, Russia.[9] Karelina emigrated to the United States in 2012 and became a citizen in 2021.[1] She resided in Los Angeles.[10]
Arrest and conviction
Karelina was arrested in early 2024 while visiting her family in Yekaterinburg and charged with treason by the Russian government for sending $51.80 to Razom, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that sends humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. She made a single transfer on the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Razom denied claims by Russia's FSB that it collects money for weapons and ammunition.[11] Her boyfriend Chris Van Heerden said he does not understand how Russian authorities knew about her donation, adding that Karelina believed she was in no danger before traveling to Russia.[12]
Her trial began on June 20, 2024 and she admitted guilt on August 7.[13] On August 15, 2024, she was sentenced by the regional courts of Sverdlovsk and Yekaterinburg to 12 years in prison.[11] Karelina was sentenced by Judge Andrei Mineev, the same judge who previously sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.[10] On April 10, 2025, she was released in a prisoner swap in Abu Dhabi between Russia and the United States with mediation from the United Arab Emirates in exchange for a German-Russian prisoner named Arthur Petrov.[14][15]
See also
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.