Ex-Ballet Dancer Sentenced to 12 Years in Russia for Donating $52 to Ukrainian Charity

Moscow, : A Russian court has sentenced Ksenia Khavana, a 33-year-old former ballet dancer with dual citizenship in the USA and Russia, to 12 years in prison for raising funds to support Ukraine during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The court found Khavana guilty of treason after she collected and donated approximately $52 to a Ukrainian charity.

Khavana, who was arrested in February in Yekaterinburg, had her phone seized by authorities, which reportedly contained evidence of the donation. During in-camera proceedings, she admitted to making the donation to the Ukrainian organization. The Russian Security Agency claimed that the charity used the funds to purchase health services and explosives for the Ukrainian military.

Khavana, who had married an American and obtained U.S. citizenship, was visiting Russia to see her relatives when she was apprehended. Her sentencing has drawn attention to the severe penalties imposed in Russia for actions perceived as supporting Ukraine in the ongoing conflict.

The case highlights the heightened tensions and strict enforcement measures by Russian authorities against individuals who are seen as aiding Ukraine, even in seemingly small ways. The international community is likely to watch closely how this and similar cases unfold in the context of the broader geopolitical conflict.