Russia arrests dual US-Russian citizen on charges of treason for collecting funds for Ukraine

February 20, 2024 - Russia-Ukraine news

By Kathleen Magramo, Deva Lee, Jack Guy, Antoinette Radford, Aditi Sangal, Elise Hammond, Maureen Chowdhury and Tori B. Powell, CNN

Updated 12:01 a.m. ET, February 21, 2024
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3:43 p.m. ET, February 20, 2024

Russia arrests dual US-Russian citizen on charges of treason for collecting funds for Ukraine

From CNN's Sebastien Shukla, Nathan Hodge, Anna Chernova and Maria Kostenko

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested a dual United States-Russian citizen on charges of treason for collecting funds for Ukrainian organizations and openly supporting Kyiv.

A regional court website from Sverdlovsk, where the case was opened, on Tuesday listed the person's name as Ksenia Pavlovna Karelina. It said she is being charged under article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code: treason. Karelina said she is appealing her arrest, according to Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti.

The FSB said earlier Tuesday that a 33-year-old Los Angeles resident was detained in Russia's city of Yekaterinburg for "providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country."

The funds raised were used to "purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the FSB said.

"Operational search activities and investigative actions continue. The court chose a preventive measure in the form of detention for the accused," the statement said.

The Sverdlovsk Regional Court press service told RIA her hearing was meant to take place today, but due to the absence of a lawyer, it was postponed until February 29.

CNN has reached out to the US Embassy in Moscow for comment.

This post has been updated with the US citizen's name and other information from RIA.

2:55 p.m. ET, February 20, 2024

Pentagon again urges US House to pass Ukraine aid

From CNN's Haley Brtizky

Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh holds a press briefing at the Pentagon on January 26, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia.
Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh holds a press briefing at the Pentagon on January 26, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh once again urged the US House of Representatives on Tuesday to pass the national security supplemental legislation and provide security aid to Ukraine. 

Singh noted that allies and adversaries of the US are watching. "So we need the House to urgently pass and act — and work to pass this bipartisan supplemental agreement that passed last week in the Senate," she said.

Singh added that there would only be days after the House returned from recess — in roughly a week — before the funding for military construction will expire, and another week before funding for the entire Department of Defense expires. 

"On March 1 funding for the department's military construction activities will expire. And on March 8, funding for the rest of the department will expire," Singh said. "This brinkmanship creates uncertainty, increased costs, and delays missions, and most importantly, it's a distraction for the force."

2:20 p.m. ET, February 20, 2024

France and Poland summon Russian ambassadors over Navalny’s death

From CNN’s Caitlin Danaher, Antonia Mortensen and Xiaofei Xu

More countries have summoned their Russian ambassadors over the death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny.

The Russian ambassador to France was summoned on Monday and the ambassador to Poland on Tuesday, according to both country's foreign ministries.

The French Foreign Ministry called for an “independent and thorough investigation” into the circumstances of Navalny’s death. It urged also for the “immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Russia.”

Similarly, Poland called on the Russian authorities to take responsibility for the death of Navalny and conduct “a full and transparent investigation,” in a statement from the Polish foreign ministry.

The European Union's diplomatic body, the European External Action Service (EEAS) also summoned Russia’s Chargé d'Affaires to the European Union Kirill Logvinov in Brussels Tuesday. The bloc called on Russia to allow for an international investigation into Navalny’s “sudden death” and said Russia must release all political prisoners and those people detained in Russia when paying tribute to Navalny.

Some background: Several nations — including Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Germany — have also summoned the Russian ambassador to their countries over Navalny's death in the last couple of days. Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, accused Western countries of politicizing Navalny's death and said the investigation into the cause of death has "not concluded yet."

This post has been updated with the latest information from the European External Action Service.

CNN’s James Frater contributed reporting to this post.

12:47 p.m. ET, February 20, 2024

Ukrainian commander expects Russian troops to keep advancing into key eastern town of Avdiivka

From Mariya Kostenko in Kyiv

Maksym Zhorin speaks on stage during a rally in Kyiv, in December 2021.
Maksym Zhorin speaks on stage during a rally in Kyiv, in December 2021. Pavlo_Bagmut/Ukrinform/Barcroft Media/Getty Images

A Ukrainian commander stationed on the outskirts of Avdiivka says Russia has the capacity to continue its advance into the eastern town and will "continue to do so."

Maksym Zhorin, deputy commander of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, posted to Telegram on Tuesday that Ukrainian troops are "clearly aware that the Russians have enough forces in the town itself to continue their offensive."

"The 3rd Assault Brigade, along with other units, has now occupied the designated defense lines around Avdiivka. The intensity of the fighting is high, but certainly not as fierce as it was inside the town," Zhorin wrote in the post.

He said Russian troops were headed in the direction of Lastochkyne.

Some context: After years of fighting, Ukrainian forces made the decision over the weekend to abandon the town, handing Russia its most significant victory since it captured the city of Bakhmut last year.

1:40 p.m. ET, February 20, 2024

US to impose new sanctions against Russia, National Security Council spokesperson says

From CNN’s Camila DeChalus, Donald Judd and Samantha Waldenberg

White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 15.
White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 15. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The White House will announce a major sanctions package against Russia on Friday, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.

The sanctions will hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for Russia's war in Ukraine — which hits the 2-year mark on Saturday — and for the death of opposition figure Alexey Navalny, he said. 

Kirby also repeated calls for Congress to pass the administration’s national security supplemental, directly tying the aid for Ukraine to the legislation, which remains stalled in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

“One of the most powerful things that we can do right now to stand up in Vladimir Putin, of course, is to again, pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill and support Ukraine as they continue to fight bravely and defense their country,” he said.

President Joe Biden previewed the upcoming announcement at the White House on Tuesday, telling reporters they’d hear more from him on the subject Friday. 

"I told you we’d be announcing sanctions on Russia — we’ll have a major package announced on Friday,” Biden told reporters gathered on the South Lawn before departing the White House for a three-day fundraising swing in California.

Meanwhile, Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on a call Tuesday that the new sanctions against Russia will impact a "significant range of targets that we have worked persistently and diligently to identify, to continue to impose costs for what Russia has done — for what it's done to Navalny, for what it's done to Ukraine, and for the threat that it represents to international peace and security."

11:49 a.m. ET, February 20, 2024

Ukraine wouldn't have lost Avdiivka if ammunition had been delivered, foreign minister says

From CNN’s Donald Judd and Christiane Amanpour

A view of the town of Avdiivka on Monday.
A view of the town of Avdiivka on Monday. AFP via Getty Images

The town of Avdiivka would not have been lost if Ukraine “had received all the artillery ammunition that we needed to defend it,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in Kyiv on Tuesday.

Ukrainian soldiers "must be credited" with holding up against Russia and sacrificing their lives on the front lines, Kuleba said.
“But the reason they have to sacrifice themselves and die is because someone is still debating a decision. And I respect domestic politics and will not interfere into it, but I just want everyone to remember that every day of debate in one place means another death in another place." 

Kuleba said the war would continue and that “Russia does not intend to pause.”

White House official John Kirby also laid the blame for Ukraine’s withdrawal from Avdiivka at the feet of Republicans in Congress.

“Let's be clear about this: Ukraine's decision to withdraw from Avdiivka wasn't because they weren't brave enough, wasn’t because weren’t well-led enough, it wasn't because they weren't trained, it wasn't because they didn't have the tactical acumen to defend themselves and to defend that town. It was because of congressional inaction,” he said Tuesday.

11:39 a.m. ET, February 20, 2024

White House calls for "complete transparency" in cause of Alexey Navalny's death

From CNN’s Kevin Liptak

The White House is calling for “complete transparency” surrounding the circumstances of Alexey Navalny’s death, even as it conceded there was little confidence in getting a straight answer from Russia on how the opposition leader died.

“It's difficult to get to a point where you can be confident in what the Russians would say about his death,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Tuesday.

He pointed the finger at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying “regardless of the actual scientific answer, Mr. Putin is responsible for it.”

Navalny’s body will not be returned to the family for at least another 14 days, his spokesperson Kira Yarmish said Monday. His body will be under “some sort of chemical examination” in that period, the spokesperson added.

The White House said absent a “credible investigation” of Navalny’s death, it would be difficult to get a clear cause.

“It's hard to get to a point where we can just take the Russians’ word for it. So clearly, we're calling for complete transparency by the Russian government for how he died and we'll continue to do that.,” Kirby said.

11:01 a.m. ET, February 20, 2024

Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine is dead, Ukraine’s defense intelligence says

From CNN’s Victoria Butenko and Andrew Carey in Kyiv and Al Goodman in Madrid

Captain Maxim Kuzminov, pilot of a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter, who flew the machine into Ukrainian territory and surrendered to the country's authorities, pictured in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 5.
Captain Maxim Kuzminov, pilot of a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter, who flew the machine into Ukrainian territory and surrendered to the country's authorities, pictured in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 5. Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto/Getty Images

A Russian helicopter pilot Maxim Kuzminov who defected to Ukraine in a dramatic operation is dead, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) tells CNN.

The statement comes as Spanish authorities investigate the killing of a man shot dead in Spain a week ago.

Initially, the Spanish Civil Guard said the victim was a 33-year-old Ukrainian but later said the man’s identity was still part of an investigation, which had been sealed by a judge. 

A source at Ukraine’s GUR confirmed to CNN the body was that of Kuzminov, but would not comment on how he had died.

Spanish Civil Guard officers investigate the garage where the body of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov was found in Villajoyosa, Spain, on February 13.
Spanish Civil Guard officers investigate the garage where the body of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov was found in Villajoyosa, Spain, on February 13. Rafa Arjones/Informacion/Reuters

Asked Tuesday whether Russia had any knowledge of the death, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had no information on the matter.

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Director Sergey Naryshkin would also not comment directly on Kuzminov’s death, but told reporters the defector had become “a moral corpse the moment he began planning his dirty and terrible crime,” Russia’s RIA Novosti reported.  

Some context: Last September, CNN reported on how the Russian pilot flew his Mi8 combat helicopter across the border – in an operation directed by Ukraine’s GUR. In an interview, carried out under the auspices of the GUR, Kuzminov explained how he planned his defection and why he did it, telling reporters he was opposed to the war.

11:28 a.m. ET, February 20, 2024

Ukrainian foreign minister reiterates commitment to democracy as nation remains under martial law

From CNN's Christiane Amanpour and staff

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 18.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 18. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says the nation is staunchly committed to democracy, even as it is unclear if elections will be held this year during the country's war against Russia.

Elections usually occur every five years in Ukraine — with the last held in 2019, when President Volodymyr Zelensky was elected — but do not take place while the country is under martial law, as it has been since Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

In November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said holding elections during wartime would be "irresponsible." Elections were scheduled for March 31 this year.

Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour in Kyiv on Tuesday, Kuleba said that "people will be simply afraid to go and cast their votes."

Amanpour asked what it would mean for democracy in the country if no elections were held.

"Well, first we wouldn't survive the Russian attack if we were not a democracy, and we will not win in this war if we do not remain a democracy,” he said.

"This is not an issue of willing or not willing to hold elections. This is an issue of finding answers to very specific questions. How do you ensure the security of voters who will go to the voting station?" he said.

On Navalny: Kuleba also commented on the death of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot be considered a legitimate ruler if he "does not stick to his word."

“This murder stripped President Putin of the title president,” he said.