LONDON: A Russian-American lady arrested earlier this yr whereas visiting household in Russia went on trial for alleged treason on Thursday after authorities accused her of elevating cash to ship to the Ukrainian military.
Karelina, who was born in Russia however had constructed a brand new life as an aesthetician at a Los Angeles spa after immigrating to the USA over a decade in the past, faces a sentence of 12 years to life in jail if discovered responsible.
Her trial can be held behind closed doorways, as is customary in such instances in Russia. Treason acquittals are uncommon there.
The courtroom within the Urals metropolis of Yekaterinburg revealed a brief video of Karelina sitting in a glass cage, carrying denims and a inexperienced plaid shirt. She smiled faintly as reporters snapped pictures.
A discover on the web site of the courtroom posted afterward Thursday mentioned the trial had been adjourned till Aug. 7. It didn’t state a purpose.
Not less than a dozen Individuals are at present jailed in Russia, a part of a rising record of overseas nationals who’ve discovered themselves caught up within the disaster of relations between Moscow and Washington through the Ukraine warfare.
Russia’s Federal Safety Service (FSB) detained Karelina in January whereas she was visiting her mother and father and younger sister in Yekaterinburg.
Her former mother-in-law, Eleonora Srebroski, informed Reuters in February that Karelina had travelled house across the New 12 months after her boyfriend stunned her with a airplane ticket.
She had assured her boyfriend that Russia was “secure” and that he had no purpose to concern her travelling there, in line with Srebroski.
Initially arrested beneath a minor “petty hooliganism” statute, Karelina was later charged with treason.
Srebroski mentioned Karelina had made a small donation to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit that sends non-military help to the nation, invaded by Russian forces in 2022 in what Moscow known as a particular army operation.
Karelina, who’s in her early thirties, arrived within the U.S. in 2012 by way of a work-study program and was briefly married to Srebroski’s son. Her ex-husband has described her as a fun-loving lady who did not care a lot for politics.
Karelina’s social media profiles function pictures of herself and pals on the seashore and on journeys, however with out political messaging.
One picture from November 2021 exhibits her in an extended gown, smiling and waving a small American flag, with the caption, “Citizenship”.
Karelina, who was born in Russia however had constructed a brand new life as an aesthetician at a Los Angeles spa after immigrating to the USA over a decade in the past, faces a sentence of 12 years to life in jail if discovered responsible.
Her trial can be held behind closed doorways, as is customary in such instances in Russia. Treason acquittals are uncommon there.
The courtroom within the Urals metropolis of Yekaterinburg revealed a brief video of Karelina sitting in a glass cage, carrying denims and a inexperienced plaid shirt. She smiled faintly as reporters snapped pictures.
A discover on the web site of the courtroom posted afterward Thursday mentioned the trial had been adjourned till Aug. 7. It didn’t state a purpose.
Not less than a dozen Individuals are at present jailed in Russia, a part of a rising record of overseas nationals who’ve discovered themselves caught up within the disaster of relations between Moscow and Washington through the Ukraine warfare.
Russia’s Federal Safety Service (FSB) detained Karelina in January whereas she was visiting her mother and father and younger sister in Yekaterinburg.
Her former mother-in-law, Eleonora Srebroski, informed Reuters in February that Karelina had travelled house across the New 12 months after her boyfriend stunned her with a airplane ticket.
She had assured her boyfriend that Russia was “secure” and that he had no purpose to concern her travelling there, in line with Srebroski.
Initially arrested beneath a minor “petty hooliganism” statute, Karelina was later charged with treason.
Srebroski mentioned Karelina had made a small donation to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit that sends non-military help to the nation, invaded by Russian forces in 2022 in what Moscow known as a particular army operation.
Karelina, who’s in her early thirties, arrived within the U.S. in 2012 by way of a work-study program and was briefly married to Srebroski’s son. Her ex-husband has described her as a fun-loving lady who did not care a lot for politics.
Karelina’s social media profiles function pictures of herself and pals on the seashore and on journeys, however with out political messaging.
One picture from November 2021 exhibits her in an extended gown, smiling and waving a small American flag, with the caption, “Citizenship”.
