Russian court sentences US-Russian dual national to 12 years in prison for $52 Ukraine charity donation

A Russian court has sentenced US-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana to 12 years in prison on treason charges, following her donation of approximately $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine. The court identified Khavana, a 33-year-old former ballet dancer, by her maiden name, Ksenia Karelina.

Khavana, who reportedly obtained US citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles, was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February. She pleaded guilty during a closed trial last week, according to news reports. She had returned to Russia to visit her family and was reportedly detained soon before her planned departure.

After arriving in Yekaterinburg in January, Khavana had her phone confiscated, which reportedly contained evidence of the donation. She was initially jailed for 15 days on petty hooliganism charges before being charged with treason. Russia’s Federal Security Service accused her of “proactively collecting 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 First Department, a rights group, stated that the charges were related to a $51.80 donation made to a US charity. The trial took place in Yekaterinburg, about 880 miles (1,420 kilometers) east of Moscow.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby condemned the conviction, stating it was “nothing less than vindictive cruelty.” He emphasised, “We’re talking about 50 bucks. To call that treason is absolutely ludicrous.” US officials are reportedly working to gain consular access to Khavana.

Khavana’s attorney, Mikhail Mushailov, announced plans to appeal the verdict. He stated that while she admitted to transferring the funds, she did not intend for them to be used by the organizations that received them. “She did not assume that the funds she transferred would be used for anti-Russian actions,” Mushailov told Interfax news agency.

Since launching its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has intensified its crackdown on dissent and enacted laws criminalizing criticism of the operation and remarks perceived as discrediting the Russian military. Concerns have grown about Russia targeting US nationals for arrest.

In a related development on Thursday, Moscow’s Meshchansky district court ordered a US citizen identified as Joseph Tater to be held in custody for two months pending an investigation into charges of attacking a police officer. A day earlier, the court sentenced Tater to 15 days of administrative arrest on “petty hooliganism” charges.

According to Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA-Novosti, Tater became abusive after being asked to show his documents at an upscale hotel on Monday evening, using profanities when denied accommodation due to a lack of required documents. Reports claim he attacked a police officer when taken to a police precinct.

US Embassy officials in Moscow acknowledged awareness of the reports but refrained from commenting further due to privacy restrictions.

Earlier this month, Russia and Western countries conducted the largest prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War. Among those included in the swap were Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both convicted of espionage charges they denied, as well as US-Russian dual national Alsu Kurmasheva, a Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe journalist sentenced to six and a half years for spreading “false information” about the Russian military. Russia also released several prominent opposition figures imprisoned for criticizing the military operation in Ukraine.