Treason trial of Russian American woman opens amid rising tensions

MOSCOW (AP) — The trial of a Russian American dual citizen whom Russia accuses of treason opened amid rising tensions between Washington and Moscow. The trial began behind closed doors on Thursday in Yekaterinburg, in the same court that next week is to begin hearing the case of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was arrested for espigonage in March 2023. The defendant was identified by Russian authorities as Los Angeles resident Ksenia Karelina. Russia’s Federal Security Service says Karelina raised money for a Ukrainian organization that was providing weapons, ammunition and other supplies to the Ukrainian military. Her boyfriend has said she made a single donation of about $50 to a Ukrainian organization, according to media reports.