A Russian court has sentenced Ksenia Karelina, an amateur ballerina, to 12 years in prison for treason, according to BBC reports.
The conviction followed her decision to donate $51 (£39) to a charity supporting Ukraine.
Karelina, who holds both American and Russian citizenship, pleaded guilty last week during a trial held behind closed doors. She had been living in Los Angeles and became a U.S. citizen in 2021.
Her arrest occurred in January 2024 during a family visit to Yekaterinburg, a city located approximately 1,600km (1,000 miles) east of Moscow. Prosecutors had initially sought a 15-year jail term, but the court ultimately sentenced her to 12 years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.
This case has drawn international attention, especially given the sensitive nature of relations between Russia and Ukraine.
