A Siberian court rejected the appeal of ballerina Ksenia Karelina, who was detained on charges of treason. The Sverdlovsk Regional Court extended the detention until April 6, Karelina is currently awaiting further developments in Yekaterinburg prison.
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A According to the BBC the appeal was filed by the ballerina’s boyfriend, Chris Van Heerden, who has dual American-Russian citizenship. Van Heerden described his girlfriend as “an average American who made a mistake.” According to the friend, the woman was proud of her Russian origin and would not have thought that her actions might harm Russia.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said an unnamed woman had been arrested following raising money for the Ukrainian military since February 2022.
Now it is According to ABC News the Siberian court rejected the appeal and Ksenia Karelina will remain in custody until her trial on April 6, at which she will face charges of treason.
The Russian ballerina faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The Russian ballerina returned home to Russia on January 2, and US officials learned of her arrest on February 8. “Her crime was donating $51 to a Ukrainian charity – that’s why she was accused of helping to arm Russia’s enemies,” said the ballerina’s ex-husband.
