Russian prosecutors seek 15-year treason sentence for US citizen Karelina

Russian prosecutors on Thursday demanded a 15-year sentence for Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American woman accused of treason for making a donation to a charity supporting Ukraine.

Karelina, who was not included in a major prisoner swap between Russia and the West last week, is on trial in the city of Yekaterinburg, where prosecutors and defence lawyers were summing up their cases.

The verdict, which had been expected on Thursday, is now due on Aug. 15, a Reuters reporter at the court said.

Karelina was born in Russia but emigrated to the United States in 2012 and became a U.S. citizen in 2021.

The Los Angeles spa employee was arrested by the FSB security service after flying to Russia to visit her family in Yekaterinburg at the start of the year.

Investigators brought the treason charge after discovering on her mobile phone that she had donated $51.80 to Razom, a charity that provides aid to Ukraine, when Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022. The FSB alleged that the ultimate beneficiary was the Ukrainian army.

Razom said at the time of her arrest that it was "appalled". The charity's website says it supports a range of humanitarian projects including the supply of first aid kits, wood stoves, generators, radios and vehicles to frontline Ukrainian medics.

It also helps Ukrainian children and vulnerable communities affected by the war, including by providing food, shelter, psychological support and clean water.