Yekaterinburg, Russia – A woman with dual Russian and American citizenship has been detained by Russian authorities on suspicion of treason for allegedly raising funds to support Ukraine in its defense against the Kremlin’s invasion. The 33-year-old Los Angeles resident has been accused of providing financial assistance to a foreign state, which is considered to be against the security of Russia.
According to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in Yekaterinburg, the suspect has been involved in collecting money for the Ukrainian war effort, which was allegedly used to purchase medicine, equipment, weapons, and ammunition. The woman is facing charges under article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, which could result in a 12 to 20-year prison sentence, as well as the confiscation of her property.
This arrest is just one of several instances where foreign and dual-nationals have been detained in Russia. Just this year, a U.S. national was arrested and detained on drug trafficking charges, signaling a growing trend of foreign citizens being targeted by Russian authorities.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the State Department have not yet provided a comment on the recent arrest. The detention of individuals with ties to foreign countries further strains the already tense relations between Russia and the United States, as both nations continue to detain each other’s citizens on various charges.
As the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, 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 ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has not only caused geopolitical tensions, but it has also resulted in the imprisonment and detainment of individuals from both countries.