Ksenia Karelina, a dual US-Russian citizen, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia for treason after a donation of £40 to a charity supporting Ukraine was discovered on her mobile phone.
Karelina, a 33-year-old amateur ballerina, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February during a visit to Russia.
The donation of $51.80 to Razom, a Ukrainian aid organization, was made on the day Russia invaded Ukraine. Karelina admitted to the charge of treason in a closed trial earlier this month. She appeared in court calmly before receiving her sentence.
Karelina had lived in the US since 2012 and became a US citizen in 2021. She had been working in Los Angeles before returning to Russia to visit family.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged that the donation was used to support the Ukrainian military, a claim that Razom has denied.
Karelina was not part of the recent prisoner swap involving Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, but her lawyer hopes she might be included in future exchanges.
Her case reflects the increasing crackdown on dissent in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
