Russia Arrests U.S. Citizen, Accusing Her of Treason by Aiding Ukraine
New York TimesFeb 20
Moscow Detains US-Russian Citizen for Treason
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The Facts
Los Angeles-based ballerina Ksenia Karelina — a dual US-Russian citizen — was arrested in Russia on suspicion of treason for donating to a US-based charity supporting Ukraine's war effort. She faces between 12 and 20 years in prison if convicted.
Russia's Federal Security Service, which didn't reveal her name, alleged that Karelina "has been proactively collecting funds" for Ukraine that have been used for "the acquisition of tactical medical items, equipment, and ammunition."
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
While this news certainly isn't surprising, it does provide more evidence of Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin's willingness to arrest any and all opposition — even citizens of the US. Karelina donated a meager amount to support humanitarian aid to struggling Ukrainians, and in return, she was slapped with one of the harshest criminal charges possible. She is yet another Russian political prisoner caught in the crosshairs of this conflict.
Pro-Russia narrative
For the West to criticize Russia while it seeks to extradite and prosecute Julian Assange is ludicrous. Not only is Assange a journalist, but he's also an Australian citizen. Furthermore, the EU has also arrested a Russian journalist for allegedly violating sanctions. The West, primarily the US, has no business interjecting into Russian affairs while it simultaneously violates its self-proclaimed value of freedom of expression.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Julian Assange will be extradited to the US by December 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
