Ksenia Karelina: LA ballerina who gave $51 to Ukraine charity ‘admits guilt’ in Russian trial, lawyer says

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Ksenia Karelina, an American-Russian amateur ballet dancer accused of committing treason against Russia for donating a little more than $50 to a Ukrainian charity in the US, has admitted “guilt” in her case, according to Russia state news agency TASS.

Karelina, 33, is a dual national American and Russian. She was detained in Yekaterinburg earlier this year while she was in the country visiting her grandparents. Recently-released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was also arrested on espionage charges while he was visiting Yekaterinburg.

Russian officials accused the dancer of donating $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity while she was in the US. She made the donation the day that Russia invaded Ukraine.

Prosecutors want to jail her for 15 years, accusing her of collecting money for Ukraine to use to purchase tactical military supplies. The organization Karelina donated to — Razom for Ukraine — is based in New York and is a non-profit group that provides non-military aid to Ukraine.

Karelina's lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said a 15-year sentence — which would place her in a penal colony — was too severe for the nature of her infraction, and argued her cooperation in the investigation should earn her some good will in the court.

The announcement comes on the heels of the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War. Karelina was prohibited from participating in that exchange because a final ruling had yet to be made in her case.

Mushailov told reporters on Thursday that once a verdict was reached her legal team would begin working toward including her in a future prisoner swap.

Karelina lives in Los Angeles and works at a spa and as an amateur ballerina. She became a US citizen in 2021. Since her arrest, her partner, Chris Van Heerden, has been campaigning for her release.

"I believe America will bring her back to me," Van Heerden told CNN earlier this year.

The couple had been vacationing in Istanbul just before her trip. Van Heerden returned to the US, while Karelina continued to Russia to see her family.

“I thought it might be dangerous for her to go, with everything going on with the war in Ukraine, but she reassured me that she was Russian and that everything would be fine." he told the Los Angeles Times in February. “So, for her birthday in December, I bought her a ticket. She was so excited. Now, I am hitting myself over the head about it.”

US officials did not learn of her arrest until February 8.

Karelina detainment and trial coincides with Russian President Vladimir Putin's latest efforts to crack down on dissent within his borders.

In April, Putin signed a decree increasing the maximum sentence for treason charges to life in jail. Previously the most anyone could serve for treason was 20 years.