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Shocking video shows American woman arrested by Russia being escorted blindfolded
Ksenia Karelina, 33, who has dual Russian-US citizenship, was held over suspicions of high treason
A chilling video shows an American woman who was detained by Russian president Vladimir Putin’s FSB security service being escorted through a narrow hallway, blindfolded. 33-year-old Ksenia Karelina, who has dual Russian-US citizenship, was held over suspicions of high treason.
Karelina was held in Yekaterinburg after being accused of raising funds for the Ukrainian army. One report said that the amount was $51.80, according to The Mirror.
What happened to Ksenia Karelina?
Karelina, a resident of Los Angeles, is believed to be married to an American. She got US citizenship in 2021. Karelina completed university in Russia, and was visiting her parents there when she was detained in a pretrial detention jail.
"The Federal Security Service in Yekaterinburg suppressed the illegal activities of a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles, who has dual citizenship of Russia and the United States," reported Russian state news agency TASS. She has been accused of being involved in providing financial assistance to a foreign state”.
Karelina is also accused of participating in public events in the US to support Ukraine. In Russia, the crime of treason carries a punishment of up to 20 years behind bars.
Russians suspect that Karelina had collected money for a Ukrainian organisation since February 2022. This is the month Ukraine was invaded by Putin. A subsequent war caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
Political scientist Fyodor Krasheninnikov said with reference to acquaintances that Karelia is a graduate of the Ural Federal University in Yekaterinburg. “She came to mom and dad..”
“She probably supported Ukraine a couple of times on social networks, maybe she collected something there,” he said. “If you participated in any anti-war protests, wrote something on social networks, or, especially, donated to Ukrainians or encouraged them to do this, think a hundred times.”
Another US national who was arrested by Russia is Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was held on espionage charges. In a recent interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson,Putin said that "an agreement can be reached" on Gershkovich.
