A Russian court has sentenced amateur ballerina Ksenia Karelina to 12 years in prison for treason after she donated $51 to a charity supporting Ukraine.
Karelina, who holds both American and Russian citizenship, was arrested in Yekaterinburg during a family visit in January. She pleaded guilty last week in a closed-door trial.
The court found her guilty of aiding a Ukrainian organization accused of providing arms to the Ukrainian military.
Karelina’s lawyer stated that she believed the donation would help victims on both sides of the conflict and plans to appeal the sentence.
The charity, Razom for Ukraine, denies raising funds for weapons, emphasizing its focus on humanitarian aid.
The sentencing is part of a broader crackdown by Russian authorities on anti-war dissent since the invasion of Ukraine.
