Ksenia Karelina, a Russian ballerina with US citizenship, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia after being convicted of treason on August 15. Karelina, who donated £39 to a Ukrainian charity in 2022, was arrested during a visit to her family in Russia in February 2024. The donation, made to Razom, a New York-based charity, was cited as evidence of “state treason.” Karelina’s attorney plans to appeal, arguing that she did not intend the funds to be used for anti-Russian activities.
