Russia's fundamental safety company mentioned Tuesday it had arrested a twin citizen of Russia and the US on costs of treason by elevating funds for Ukraine.
The Federal Safety Service, often known as the FSB, recognized the detainee as a 33-year-old girl dwelling in Los Angeles. He mentioned in an announcement that he had raised cash for a Ukrainian group that purchased weapons and different tools for the Ukrainian navy.
Perviy Otdel, a bunch of Russian attorneys specializing in circumstances involving treason and different political costs, mentioned the lady had been charged with treason for sending simply over $50 to Razom for Ukraine, a non-profit group New York that sends. help to the nation.
The FSB mentioned she was arrested within the central Russian metropolis of Yekaterinburg. RIA Novosti, a Russian state information company, launched a video it mentioned confirmed the lady, carrying a white hat masking her eyes, being handcuffed and escorted by masked safety service brokers.
If convicted, she might withstand 20 years in jail.
The detention of Americans on Russian soil in recent times has raised suspicions that the Kremlin sees them as helpful property to be traded for high-profile Russians held in custody in the US and different Western international locations.
On the identical day the lady's arrest was introduced, a Moscow courtroom rejected an attraction by Evan Gershkovich, an American Wall Road Journal reporter whom Russia arrested final spring on espionage costs, to face trial his preventive detention. It dominated that Mr. Gershkovich – who, alongside together with his employer and the American authorities, denied the accusation in opposition to him – should stay in jail not less than till the top of March.
A spokesman for the State Division, Matthew Miller, advised reporters on Tuesday that the US had requested consular help for the lady, however “that has not but been granted.” He mentioned that Russia in impact “doesn’t acknowledge” twin citizenship and considers such folks “to be Russian residents at the beginning.”
A Russian media outlet, Media Zona, recognized the detainee as Ksenia Karelina. Perviy Otdel, the authorized group, recognized her as Ksenia (Karelina) Khavana, with Karelina most definitely her maiden title. Perviy Otdel mentioned she was arrested in late January and charged with treason on February 7.
In line with Ms. Karelina's profile on VK, a Russian social community, she acquired US citizenship in 2021. Her profile, which recognized her as a pupil on the College of Maryland in Baltimore, mentioned that she had graduated from the Ural Federal College in Yekaterinburg. 2014.
In an interview at her dwelling in Maryland on Tuesday, Ms. Karelina's former mother-in-law, Eleanora Srebroski, mentioned Ms. Karelina was as soon as married to her son, Evgeny. He grew up in Yekaterinburg and got here to the US for a work-study program, working that summer time at a fruit stand in Randallstown, Md., promoting vegetables and fruit. (Ms. Srebroski, 56, is herself from Russia, and grew up about 120 miles away from Yekaterinburg, she mentioned.)
The couple married in 2013, however after they separated about two years later, Ms. Karelina left Maryland for Los Angeles, the place she labored at a Beverly Hills resort as a beautician and spa supervisor, Ms. Srebroski mentioned.
Isabella Koretz, the president of Ciel Spa in Beverly Hills, California, confirmed that Ksenia Khavana has labored there for eight years. A press release from the spa mentioned she had traveled to Russia to go to her 90-year-old grandmother, her dad and mom and youthful sister, and was now being held in a Russian jail, wrongly accused of treason. “for alleged donation”. $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity in the US”
“You understand Ksenia is to like,” mentioned the assertion. “This heartbreaking information is so exhausting to share, but it surely have to be completed to unfold his story and search justice.”
Ms. Srebroski mentioned she had realized of her former daughter-in-law's arrest solely that day, when a reporter referred to as.
“She's a wonderful, lovely individual,” Ms. Srebroski mentioned. “She simply brings mild in all places she goes.”
She mentioned that she wouldn’t be stunned if her former daughter-in-law had donated cash for Ukraine: “Somebody who’s damage, is on her aspect.”
Mr. Miller, the State Division spokesman, declined to invest whether or not the US may formally decide the lady to be “wrongfully detained,” as for 2 People already in custody in Russia, Mr. Gershkovich and Paul Whelan. Such a willpower would imply that the US considers a detainee the equal of a hostage, permitting particular efforts to win his launch.
The variety of circumstances of state treason in Russia has grown steadily since its large-scale invasion of Ukraine firstly of 2022. Final 12 months, about 50 folks have been accused of the offense, in keeping with Perviy Otdel, starting from high-profile critics of the Kremlin. to a pupil accused of photographing the formations of the Russian military in his metropolis.
A courtroom in Yekaterinburg was scheduled to listen to an attraction from the lady whose arrest was introduced on Tuesday, in keeping with the courtroom's web site, which additionally mentioned she was accused of treason.
Campbell Robertson, Michael Crowley Kitty Bennett and Rachel Parsons contributed reporting.
