U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana was convicted Thursday of treason in a Russian court and sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges stemming from a $51 donation to a charity aiding Ukraine.
Khavana, identified by Russian authorities by her maiden name of Ksenia Karelina, was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February and pleaded guilty in a closed trial last week, news reports said.
Khavana, a 33-year-old former ballet dancer, reportedly obtained U.S. citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles. She had returned to Russia to visit her family.
Russia’s Federal Security Service said she “proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organizations, which was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.”
The rights group The First Department said the charges stem from a $51 donation to a U.S. charity. The trial took place in Yekaterinburg, about 880 miles (1,416 kilometers) east of Moscow.
Her attorney, Mikhail Mushailov, said he planned to appeal the verdict.
周四，拥有美俄双重国籍的克谢尼娅·卡瓦纳因向一家援助乌克兰的慈善机构捐款 51 美元，在俄罗斯一家法院被判叛国罪，并被判处 12 年监禁。
据新闻报道，俄罗斯当局确认卡瓦纳的娘家姓是克谢尼娅·卡列琳娜，她于 2 月在乌拉尔山区城市叶卡捷琳堡被捕，并于上周在一次闭门审判中认罪。
据报道，现年 33 岁的卡瓦纳曾是一名芭蕾舞演员，在与一名美国人结婚并搬到洛杉矶后获得了美国公民身份。她返回俄罗斯探望家人。
俄罗斯联邦安全局表示，她“主动为乌克兰一家组织筹集资金，随后用于为乌克兰武装部队购买战术医疗用品、设备、武器和弹药。”
人权组织“第一部门”称，这些指控源于向美国慈善机构捐赠的 51 美元。审判在莫斯科以东约 880 英里（1,416 公里）的叶卡捷琳堡举行。
她的律师米哈伊尔·穆沙伊洛夫表示，他计划对判决提出上诉。
