Treason charges after $50 for Ukraine: desperate battle to free LA ballerina held in Russia
Treason charges after $50 for Ukraine: desperate battle to free LA ballerina held in Russia
I imagine the urge to visit family is strong but what was she thinking? With many young Russians desparate to leave Russia she decides to go there as a dual US/Russian despite being warned, despite the shit that is happening.
despite a US state department travel advisory warning against travel to Russia
Swan Lake broadcasting on every channel in Moscow right now...
That would be excellent. But also wishful thinking, probably.
Or are you being serious, it's actually broadcasting?
Some deep Sowjet lore right here.
Why in the piss fuck would you go to Russia willingly, even to visit family. Stay the fuck away. Especially if you are anti Russia and support Ukraine, and there's evidence of it.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The amateur ballerina Ksenia Karelina, an American and Russian dual citizen who celebrated the new year with a trip to Istanbul with her partner Chris van Heerden, a South African professional boxer, before heading to Russia to visit family, was arrested and detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on 28 January in her hometown of Yekaterinburg, about 1,100 miles east of Moscow.
Karelina may be the latest victim in a chess match over detainees between the US and Russia, which dates back more than 15 years when, in 2008, the US Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Viktor Bout, a former Soviet military officer and translator, on conspiracy charges.
Bout was eventually traded in 2022 for the WNBA champion Brittney Griner, who Russian officials had arrested for possessing vaporizer cartridges containing less than a gram of hash oil.
In March last year, Russian officials arrested the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in the same place as Karelina, Yekaterinburg.
Russian authorities later upped the ante, charging Karelina, a licensed esthetician employed by Ciel spa in Beverly Hills, with more serious offenses.
Right before the court date, Russian state media released a video of a woman who appears to be Karelina wearing a white puffer coat and a knit cap pulled over her eyes being handcuffed and led around a detention center.
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amateur ballerina Ksenia Karelina, an American and Russian dual citizen who celebrated the new year with a trip to Istanbul with her partner Chris van Heerden, a South African professional boxer, before heading to Russia to visit family
No way this is real. Definitely the premise for a sitcom, possibly a limited series dramedy.
Why is she in Russia?
Visiting family per the article.
A Russian citizen living in America who supported Ukraine by donating money to them was warned by her partner that going back wouldn’t be safe. She said “nah, it’ll be fine” and was arrested shortly after in Russia.
This is very sad, but you didn’t know they’d be mad about that?
Yeah my sympathy to her and her loved ones, but we shouldn't give a single thing in exchange to get her back. Every western country has their absolutely highest DO-NOT-TRAVEL-TO warning for russia. She had to actively work to get around every roadblock just to get there. Sorry, but we can't save you from yourself
Yeah, she at least needs to be a common women's basketball player for us to make lopsided exchanges.
I'm sure there's another lord of war we can trade for her right?
This is true, it's amazing that anyone from the countries Russia has said to be "unfriendly" goes to Russia anymore.
I was born in the US to a Russian mother. She moved back to Russia when I was a toddler, and I lost contact with her in my adolescence. I have recently been determined to find her. I have not been able to make any progress on the internet, but I think I would have more success if I go in person and ask around her small town. I have been wanting to do this for the past 2 years. Yet, I'm not stupid enough to go to Russia right now even if it means that my mother may pass in the meantime. If I have a great reason to go and still don't, I don't know what's up with these people that think they'll be fine and go just to hang out. wtf.
I'm more surprised they were organized enough to arrest her for it
I suspect the process is very simple, add the name and passport number details to be pulled over at the border. A notification to take someone aside and then call police to arrest srems simple enough and something that is videly practiced in an authoritarian countries. Where was a plane was forced down and a anti government person was arrested a couple of years ago? Wasn't it Belarus?