Current:Home > FinanceA ballet dancer from Los Angeles is being detained in Russia on treason charges. Here's what to know. -RiskWatch
A ballet dancer from Los Angeles is being detained in Russia on treason charges. Here's what to know.
View
Date:2025-04-17 03:48:56
Russia's main domestic intelligence agency has arrested a woman with dual U.S. and Russian citizenship on charges of treason, accusing her of collecting money for the Ukrainian military. Authorities did not name the woman, but her longtime employer in California identified her as Ksenia Khavana, whose maiden name is Ksenia Karelina.
The Federal Security Service said in a statement early Tuesday that the Los Angeles resident was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,100 miles east of Moscow. She had returned to Russia to visit family.
Here is what is known about Khavana and Russia's case against her.
Who is Ksenia Khavana?
Khavana, 33, is a citizen of the U.S. and Russia.
The independent Russian news outlet Mediazona identified her as Ksenia Karelina, her maiden name, and said that she had received U.S. citizenship after marrying an American.
Isabella Koretz, owner of Ciel Spa at the SLS Beverly Hills where Khavana has worked for eight years, told The Associated Press that Khavana, a ballet dancer, came to the U.S. to study at the University of Maryland in Baltimore before relocating to Los Angeles.
She said Khavana is divorced and does not have any relatives in the U.S. Koretz said she has grown close to Khavana over the years and treats her like "she's family."
According to Koretz, Khavana tried to see her family in Russia at least once a year, usually around Christmas and New Year's. This year, Koretz said, Khavana flew into Russia from Istanbul in early January for a two-week trip to spend time with her 90-year-old grandmother, parents and younger sister.
Koretz grew concerned when Khavana stopped returning her messages and phone calls after entering Russia. She said panic set in when Khavana ultimately did not return from her trip in mid-January as planned.
"This girl is like an angel," Koretz said. "You have to understand that she wouldn't hurt a fly."
What is she accused of?
CBS News correspondent Imtiaz Tyab reported that Khavana was arrested after making a donation of only about $51 to a Ukrainian charity. The Russian authorities also said she had attended pro-Ukraine rallies in the U.S.
Russia's Federal Security Service alleges that Khavana had been "proactively" raising funds for a Ukrainian organization since February 2022 — money that it says was "subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces."
The agency said she also took part in "public actions" in the U.S. in support of Kyiv. It did not provide further details about the allegations.
Koretz said Khavana actually was collecting funds for humanitarian aid and had made a donation to Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit that says it provides medical kits and disaster relief to those affected by Russia's invasion of the country.
"We're talking about diapers and formula, that's what she was collecting money for," Koretz said. "We're not talking about money for weapons."
In its own statement Tuesday, the nonprofit's CEO said she was "appalled" by media reports of the arrest but did not name Khavana or confirm whether the woman had previously donated to the charity.
The organization said in an email to The Associated Press that it does not disclose the identities of its donors to protect their privacy.
"Razom calls on the U.S. government to continue to do everything in its power to demand that President Putin release all those unjustly detained by Russia and to hold Russia's political and military leadership accountable for their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine," Dora Chomiak said in her statement.
Where is she now?
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that the White House and the State Department were aware of reports of the arrest and added that "we are trying to get more information and to secure some consular access to that individual."
The Federal Security Service says that she has been ordered detained as a "preventative measure" while it continues its investigation.
Koretz said that Khavana, meanwhile, has been communicating with her colleagues at the spa through letters and has asked them to help her sell her belongings in Los Angeles, including her car.
"She doesn't want to leave anybody with her debts," Koretz said.
If convicted of treason under article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, Khavana faces up to 20 years in prison.
Khavana's former mother-in-law Eleonora Srebroski tells CBS News that, in the wake of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny's death in prison, she's afraid of what might happen to her.
"I'm very, very concerned about her, about her physical wellbeing," Srebroski told CBS News on Tuesday. "We know that Navalny was just killed a few days ago. We know it wasn't just a death. It was the murder."
"I am in shock," she told CBS News, adding that there was "no justice in Russia whatsoever."
News on Tuesday of Khavana's arrest came the same day a court in the Russian capital ruled to keep Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in custody pending his trial on espionage charges that he denies.
- In:
- Russia
veryGood! (67)
Related
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Brad Keselowski triumphs at Darlington to snap 110-race NASCAR Cup Series winless streak
- Donald Trump’s GOP allies show up in force as Michael Cohen takes the stand in hush money trial
- Wisconsin Supreme Court considers expanding use of absentee ballot drop boxes
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- A rural Ugandan community is a hot spot for sickle cell disease. But one patient gives hope
- Panama’s next president says he’ll try to shut down one of the world’s busiest migration routes
- Missed Friday’s Northern Lights? The global light show, in photos
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Panama’s next president says he’ll try to shut down one of the world’s busiest migration routes
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Flash floods in northern Afghanistan sweep away livelihoods, leaving hundreds dead and missing
- Vancouver Canucks hang on for NHL playoff Game 3 win vs. Edmonton Oilers
- US plans to impose major new tariffs on EVs, other Chinese green energy imports, AP sources say
- California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees latest test of new multiple rocket launcher
- The Token Revolution of WT Finance Institute: Launching WFI Token to Fund and Enhance 'Ai Wealth Creation 4.0' Investment System
- South Africa again requests emergency measures from world court to restrain Israel’s actions in Gaza
Recommendation
Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Brad Keselowski triumphs at Darlington to snap 110-race NASCAR Cup Series winless streak
Book excerpt: What This Comedian Said Will Shock You by Bill Maher
DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
A Turning Point in Financial Innovation: The Ascent of WT Finance Institute
Denver Nuggets seize opportunity to even up NBA playoff series vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Punxsutawney Phil’s babies are named Shadow and Sunny. Just don’t call them the heirs apparent