US-Russian Dual National Sentenced for Allegedly Funding Ukrainian Military

A Russian court has sentenced Ksenia Khavana, a dual national, to 12 years in prison. She was convicted of treason for allegedly raising funds for the Ukrainian military. Khavana, who also goes by her maiden name Karelina, returned to Russia to visit family and was arrested in Yekaterinburg.

A Russian court on Thursday sentenced US-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana to 12 years in prison on a treason conviction. She was found guilty of allegedly raising money for the Ukrainian military.

Khavana, identified by Russian authorities as Karelina, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February. She pleaded guilty during a closed trial last week, according to news reports.

Having obtained US citizenship after moving to Los Angeles following her marriage to an American, Khavana had returned to Russia to visit her family. Russia's Federal Security Service stated that she “proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organisations, which was used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces”.