Russia’s main security agency said on Tuesday that it had arrested a dual citizen of Russia and US on accusations of committing state treason by raising funds for Ukraine. Federal Security Service (FSB), identified the detainee as a 33-year-old woman who lives in Los Angeles. It said that she had raised money for a Ukrainian organisation that bought weapons and other equipment for Ukraine‘s military.
Perviy Otdel, a group of Russian lawyers who specialise in cases involving accusations of treason and other politically charged allegations, said that woman had been accused of treason for sending just over $50 to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit organization that sends assistance to the country. Russian news outlet Media Zona identified her as Ksenia Karelina. Otdel identified her as Ksenia (Karelina) Khavana, with Karelina likely being her maiden name.
FSB said that woman had been arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg in central Russia. RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency, published a video that it said showed the woman, wearing a white hat that covered her eyes, being handcuffed and escorted by masked security service officers.
If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison.
The detention of American citizens on Russian soil in recent years has raised suspicions that Kremlin views them as valuable assets to be traded for high-profile Russians held in custody in US.