LA ballerina’s boyfriend speaks out after Russia treason arrest

The boyfriend of a Los Angeles woman detained in Russia says she was in the country to visit her aging grandmother when she was arrested on suspicion of treason for raising funds to support Ukraine. 

Russia’s Federal Security Service said Tuesday that a 33-year-old dual U.S.-Russian citizen was detained in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg for allegedly financially supporting Ukraine’s army. 

The FSB did not name her, but a senior U.S. official confirmed to NBC News that the detained American is Ksenia Karelina, a former ballerina turned esthetician in Beverly Hills. Karelina became a U.S. citizen in 2021, the U.S. official said.

Speaking with NBC Los Angeles, Karelina’s boyfriend Chris Van Heerden said she traveled to Russia to see her family, including her 90-year-old grandmother, on Jan. 2 after the couple spent New Year’s together in Turkey. 

Van Heerden, who said he has been dating Karelina for six months, said she did not appear to have any reservations about returning to Russia when they parted. 

“She was like, ‘I’m going to be fine, it’s good. I’m Russian, I’m good,’” Van Heerden said. 

But he said Karelina faced problems from the moment she arrived and was detained at the airport. She was eventually released, although authorities kept her mobile phone, Van Heerden said. They used her mother’s phone to communicate in the meanwhile, he said, but on Jan. 27 she said she was going to pick up her phone, and it was the last time they spoke. 

“Bring her back, she’s just a normal person,” he added. 

The FSB alleged that since Feb. 2022, Karelina had “proactively collected funds in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organizations, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

It did not provide further details or evidence of her alleged crime. A criminal case has been launched against her, the FSB said, and she is facing charges of treason, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.  

A video released by the FSB on Tuesday alleges to show Karelina’s detention. A woman, blindfolded by a white hat on her head, can be seen being handcuffed and led through hallways and a staircase by a man wearing a camouflage uniform and balaclava. In another shot, she can be seen behind bars and then being led into a room, with her face blurred. NBC…