Russia's FSB security service said a woman holding both U.S. and Russian citizenship was arrested in the central city of Yekaterinburg on suspicion of treason after she was accused of raising funds for Ukraine's military.
The FSB said in a statement on February 20 that it had "suppressed the illegal activities of a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles, who has dual citizenship of Russia and the United States and was involved in providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country."
It added that since February 2022, the suspect allegedly had been collecting money spent mainly on "tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition."
The FSB did not name the woman detained in Yekaterinburg, the city in the Urals where U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested last year on espionage charges that can carry a sentence of up to life in prison.
However, using information gleaned from a video the FSB published and social media, Russian news outlet Mediazona reported the woman's name is Ksenia Karelina.
Washington has repeatedly criticized Russia for targeting and arresting U.S. citizens in order to exchange them for Russian nationals being held in U.S. prisons.
SEE ALSO: RFE/RL Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, Held In Russian Prison, Nominated For UNESCO PrizeGershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan are both being held in Russia on espionage charges they and the U.S. government reject as politically motivated. While Gershkovich is still in pretrial detention, Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison in June 2020.
A third U.S. citizen, RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who also holds Russian citizenship, has been in pretrial detention on a charge of violating the so-called foreign agent law. The U.S. government and her employer say the charge is in reprisal for her work.
Indictments for treason reached a record number in Russia last year. According to official data, the courts have received 63 treason cases, 33 of which have already resulted in convictions.
Human rights activists say they expect the number will be even higher this year as Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine reaches the two-year mark on February 24.