Yekaterinburg, Russia – A woman with dual Russian-American citizenship has been detained by Russian authorities on suspicion of treason for raising funds to support Ukraine in its defense against the Kremlin’s invasion. The detained woman, Kseniya Karelina, is a 33-year-old Russian-American ballerina who became a U.S. citizen in 2021.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg announced the detention of the woman but did not release her name. According to the FSB, the woman has been involved in providing financial assistance to Ukraine, which is considered activities directed against the security of Russia.
It is reported that Karelina collected money that was used for medicine, equipment, weapons, and ammunition in the Ukrainian war effort. She is accused of treason under article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, which carries a penalty of 12 to 20 years in prison, as well as confiscation of property. The woman is currently detained under a pre-trial custody order.
The U.S. is seeking consular assistance for Karelina, but it has not yet been granted. The White House confirmed that they are working to secure consular access. Furthermore, the State Department has mentioned the difficulties in obtaining consular assistance for dual citizens, as Russia does not recognize dual citizenship and considers them to be Russian citizens first and foremost.
The detention of Karelina comes amidst a trend of foreign- and dual-nationals being arrested and detained in Russia, including U.S. national Robert Romanov Woodland, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The U.S. has expressed concern over the wrongful detention of its citizens in Russia, including former Marine Paul Whelan.
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marks its second anniversary, President Joe Biden’s administration is considering whether to supply Kyiv with long-range ATACMS missiles while a new aid package is held up in Congress. This situation comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S., raising concerns about the treatment of individuals with dual citizenship in Russia.