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American woman jailed in Russia for pro-Ukraine charity donation, boyfriend fumes at Biden admin

August 15, 2024 | | Print Article

A Russian-American woman has been sentenced to 12 years in a Russian penal colony for making a $50 donation to a pro-Ukrainian charity.

Ksenia Karelina, a 33-year-old American woman, was detained in Russia while visiting her grandparents there earlier this year.

“When she arrived at Koltsovo airport in late January, law enforcement officials checked her cell phone using the search word ‘Ukraine,'” according to the Daily Mail. “They allegedly found evidence of a bank transfer to a pro-Ukrainian foundation in America.”

This bank transfer led to Karelina being charged with treason, a charge for which she later pleaded guilty to last week. In response, the court sentenced her to serve time at a penal colony.

Karelina’s attorney, Mikhail Mushailov, said afterward that he intends to appeal the verdict.

“She admitted guilt in terms of transferring funds, but did not admit her intent aimed at transferring funds to those organizations where they most likely arrived,” he said. “She did not assume that the funds she transferred would be used for anti-Russian actions.”

He’s also hopeful that Karelina might be included in a future prisoner swap like the one that occurred weeks ago.

“An exchange is impossible until the court verdict comes into force,” he told reporters before the verdict was reached. “After the verdict, of course, we will work in this direction.”

As for the claim that Karelina had never intended to donate money toward “anti-Russian” actions, the facts do seem to fit.

For example, her boyfriend told CNN that he bought the plane tickets to Russia as a birthday gift and that she “had no fear” about the visit.

“She was so proud to be going home,”  he said. “She’s so proud of Russia.”

The boyfriend added that she never spoke about the Russia-Ukraine war, saying, “She doesn’t watch the news —  she doesn’t intervene with anything.”

Of course, it’s possible he just said all this to help her case, especially considering that the name of the organization she donated to is literally Razom for Ukraine.

Though in fairness, she reportedly made the donation on Feb. 24th, 2022 — the first day Russia invaded Ukraine.

Also, according to Reuters, “Her supporters say she had donated $51.80 to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based charity that provides humanitarian aid to children and elderly people in Ukraine. The charity has denied it provides any military support to Kyiv.”

In a separate statement to CBS News, the boyfriend, identified as Chris Van Heerden, sounded far angrier.

“This whole trial is bogus,” he said. “Ksenia should be home, and I’m angry. I’m angry and I’m trying to hold my composure.”

He also threw the Biden State Department under the bus for lying to him about the now-past prisoner swap.

“For the last 8 months, I was pushing for a wrongful detention [designation], so that when we do have a prisoner swap, that Ksenia is on that list and made a priority,” he said. “I was slowed down. I was told we had time.”

“I was told, ‘Chris, don’t worry there will be no prisoner swap until after the election or maybe early next year’… Guess what. There was a prisoner swap two weeks ago and Ksenia was not on that list,”  he added.

The only good news is that Karelina avoided the even harsher 15-year sentence that the prosecutor had recommended.

Van Heerden for his part is rooting for a miracle.

“I’m not a begging man, but I’m begging to the American people to help me get Ksenia back,” he told CBS News. “Can we get her declared wrongfully detained right now?”

Vivek Saxena
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