Aiexpress – On Tuesday, Russia’s counterintelligence agency announced the arrest of a woman with dual U.S.-Russian citizenship on suspicion of treason. The woman was allegedly raising funds to support Ukraine’s armed forces.
According to Russian state-run news agency TASS, a 33-year-old woman from Los Angeles was arrested by the Federal Security Service in the city of Yekaterinburg, located 1,120 miles east of Moscow. The woman was charged with illegally providing financial assistance to a foreign state for activities that posed a threat to the security of Russia.
According to the FSB, she has been actively fundraising since February 2022 on behalf of a Ukrainian organization. The funds raised were later used to acquire tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the complaint, the woman was involved in public demonstrations in the United States, showing her support for the “Kyiv regime.”
The FSB has initiated a criminal investigation based on a high treason offense and has taken the suspect into custody in the Sverdlovsk Region. This detainment is a preventive measure while the FSB conducts ongoing operational search activities and investigative actions.
If found guilty, she could face imprisonment for 12 to 20 years under the Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code offenses.
She is currently in custody awaiting trial, as is standard procedure for previous arrests involving individuals with dual citizenship or foreign nationals.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow and State Department have yet to release a statement regarding the case.
Russia currently holds or has imprisoned several American citizens, including Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, who is currently serving a 16-year sentence. Additionally, Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was arrested in March.
Both men face allegations of participating in espionage.
In January, U.S. President Joe Biden had a meeting with Whelan’s sister, following the Kremlin’s rejection of recent U.S. proposals to secure his release.
Recently, there has been renewed optimism regarding the potential release of Gerskovich. This optimism stems from a groundbreaking interview between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American television journalist Tucker Carlson. During the interview, Putin hinted at the possibility of a prisoner exchange with the United States, which could potentially include Gerskovich.
In a recent interview with the former Fox News host on February 8th, Putin mentioned the possibility of freeing Gershkovich, who is currently facing a potential 20-year jail sentence. He stated that this could be achieved if “our partners take reciprocal steps.”
