Ksenia Karelina
Russian-American ballet dancer imprisoned for treason
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Interest in “Ksenia Karelina” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-07-20.
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Key Takeaways
- Ksenia Karelina (also Ksenia Khavana ; born December 13, 1991) is a Russian-American ballet dancer and spa employee who was imprisoned for treason by the Russian government.
- 80 to a charity supporting Ukraine.
- She was released on April 10, 2025, as part of a prisoner exchange, and made an appearance with President Donald Trump at the White House on May 5, 2025.
- Karelina emigrated to the United States in 2012 and became a citizen in 2021.
- Arrest and conviction Karelina was arrested in early 2024 while visiting her family in Yekaterinburg and charged with treason by the Russian government for sending $51.
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Source summary
WikipediaKsenia Karelina (also Ksenia Khavana; born December 13, 1991) is a Russian-American ballet dancer and spa employee who was imprisoned for treason by the Russian government. The FSB accused Karelina of taking part in "public actions to support the Kyiv regime" for donating $51.80 to a charity supporting Ukraine. She was originally facing life in prison as a result, but was instead sentenced to 12 years. She was released on April 10, 2025, as part of a prisoner exchange, and made an appearance with President Donald Trump at the White House on May 5, 2025.
Karelina was born in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Karelina emigrated to the United States in 2012 and became a citizen in 2021. She resided in Los Angeles.
Karelina was arrested in early 2024 while visiting her family in Yekaterinburg and charged with treason by the Russian government for sending $51.80 to Razom, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that sends humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. She made a single transfer on the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Razom denied claims by Russia's FSB that it collects money for weapons and ammunition. Her boyfriend Chris Van Heerden said he does not understand how Russian authorities knew about her donation, adding that Karelina believed she was in no danger before traveling to Russia.
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