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Russian-American lady goes on trial for treason after contributing funds to Ukraine

A RussianAmerican woman apprehended previously this year while checking out household in Russia went on trial for supposed treason on Thursday after authorities implicated her of raising money to send to the Ukrainian army.

Karelina, who was born in Russia but had built a new life as an aesthetician at a Los Angeles medical spa after immigrating to the United States over a decade back, faces a sentence of 12 years to life in prison if condemned.

Her trial will be held behind closed doors, as is traditional in such cases in Russia. Treason acquittals are unusual there.

The court in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg released a. short video of Karelina being in a glass cage, using jeans. and a green plaid shirt. She smiled faintly as reporters snapped. photos.

A notification on the site of the court posted later. Thursday said the trial had actually been adjourned till Aug. 7. It did. not state a factor.

At least a lots Americans are currently jailed in Russia,. part of a growing list of foreign nationals who have actually discovered. themselves captured up in the crisis of relations between Moscow. and Washington throughout the Ukraine war.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) apprehended Karelina in. January while she was visiting her moms and dads and young sis in. Yekaterinburg.

Her former mother-in-law, Eleonora Srebroski, told . in February that Karelina had actually taken a trip home around the New Year. after her boyfriend surprised her with an aircraft ticket.

She had actually assured her partner that Russia was safe and. that he had no factor to fear her taking a trip there, according to. Srebroski.

At first apprehended under a small petty hooliganism. statute, Karelina was later on charged with treason.

Srebroski said Karelina had actually made a little contribution to Razom. for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit that sends non-military. help to the country that was invaded by Russian forces in. 2022 in what Moscow called a special military operation.

Karelina, who remains in her early thirties, gotten here in the U.S. in 2012 by means of a work-study program and was briefly married to. Srebroski's boy. Her ex-husband has described her as a. fun-loving lady who didn't care much for politics.

Karelina's social networks profiles include photos of herself. and friends on the beach and on trips, but without political. messaging.

One photo from November 2021 shows her in a long gown,. smiling and waving a small American flag, with the caption,. Citizenship.

The U.S. State Department, asked about Karelina's case,. stated the U.S. attempts to look for access to citizens detained abroad. and that consular officers seek to offer them with proper. help. I

It added that Russia has long taken the position that it. does not need to respond to those ask for appropriate. support when it pertains to dual nationals.

State Department representative Matthew Miller reiterated. a warning that no American person must take a trip to Russia for. any factor, as they run significant danger of being detained.

(source: Reuters)