Russian-American woman arrested for treason in Russia, allegedly raising funds for Ukraine

The Federal Security Service (FSB) in Yekaterinburg, Russia, has arrested a 33-year-old woman who holds both Russian and US citizenship, accusing her of ‘treason’ for raising funds for Ukraine, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The woman, a resident of Los Angeles, was detained for allegedly providing financial assistance to a Ukrainian organization involved in activities considered harmful to Russia’s security. According to Russian media carrying the FSB’s statement, the accused had been actively collecting money since February 2022 for a Ukrainian group, with the funds purportedly intended to support the Ukrainian armed forces by acquiring tactical medical items, equipment, weapons, and ammunition.

The woman is said to have participated in multiple public demonstrations in the United States in solidarity with Ukraine, a country that has received support from a Western coalition following Russia’s invasion in February 2022. A video released by Russian state media showed FSB officers in hooded attire escorting and handcuffing the woman, who was dressed in a white coat with a white hat pulled down over her eyes.

Treason charges in Russia carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. This arrest adds to the list of US nationals currently imprisoned in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested last year on espionage charges that he, the US outlet, and the US government have denied. Another Russian-American journalist, Alsu Kurmasheva, has been in prison since October, facing charges of failing to register as a “foreign agent” and spreading “false information” about Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently expressed openness to a potential prisoner swap involving Gershkovich as a “gesture of goodwill.” This statement comes amid ongoing tension between the two nations, with Russia and Ukraine completing several rounds of prisoner exchanges in recent months, including a notable exchange of 100 prisoners of war earlier this month, according to Al Jazeera.