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A ballet dancer from Los Angeles is being detained in Russia on treason charges. Here’s what to know.

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Russia’s main domestic intelligence agency has arrested a woman with dual U.S. and Russian citizenship on charges of treason, accusing her of collecting money for the Ukrainian military. Authorities did not name the woman, but her longtime employer in California identified her as Ksenia Khavana, whose maiden name is Ksenia Karelina.

The Federal Security Service said in a statement early Tuesday that the Los Angeles resident was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,100 miles east of Moscow. She had returned to Russia to visit family.

Ksenia Khavana, Los Angeles woman arrested in Russia
In this undated photo provided by Ksenia Leonteva, Los Angeles-based dancer and esthetician Ksenia Khavana is pictured in her medical scrubs. 

/ AP


Here is what is known about Khavana and Russia’s case against her.

Who is Ksenia Khavana?

Khavana, 33, is a citizen of the U.S. and Russia.

The independent Russian news outlet Mediazona identified her as Ksenia Karelina, her maiden name, and said that she had received U.S. citizenship after marrying an American.

Isabella Koretz, owner of Ciel Spa at the SLS Beverly Hills where Khavana has worked for eight years, told The Associated Press that Khavana, a ballet dancer, came to the U.S. to study at the University of Maryland in Baltimore before relocating to Los Angeles.

She said Khavana is divorced and does not have any relatives in the U.S. Koretz said she has grown close to Khavana over the years and treats her like “she’s family.”

knesia-karelina.jpg
An undated photo from her Facebook page shows U.S.-Russian national Knesia Karelina, who also goes by Ksenia Khavana.

Facebook/Knesia Karelina


According to Koretz, Khavana tried to see her family in Russia at least once a year, usually around Christmas and New Year’s. This year, Koretz said, Khavana flew into Russia from Istanbul in early January for a two-week trip to spend time with her 90-year-old grandmother, parents and younger sister.

Koretz grew concerned when Khavana stopped returning her messages and phone calls after entering Russia. She said panic set in when Khavana ultimately did not return from her trip in mid-January as planned.

“This girl is like an angel,” Koretz said. “You have to understand that she wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

What is she accused of?

CBS News correspondent Imtiaz Tyab reported that Khavana was arrested after making a donation of only about $51 to a Ukrainian charity. The Russian authorities also said she had attended pro-Ukraine rallies in the U.S.

Russia’s Federal Security Service alleges that Khavana had been “proactively” raising funds for a Ukrainian organization since February 2022 — money that it says was “subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

The agency said she also took part in “public actions” in the U.S. in support of Kyiv. It did not provide further details about the allegations.

Koretz said Khavana actually was collecting funds for humanitarian aid and had made a donation to Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit that says it provides medical kits and disaster relief to those affected by Russia’s invasion of the country.

“We’re talking about diapers and formula, that’s what she was collecting money for,” Koretz said. “We’re not talking about money for weapons.”

In its own statement Tuesday, the nonprofit’s CEO said she was “appalled” by media reports of the arrest but did not name Khavana or confirm whether the woman had previously donated to the charity.

The organization said in an email to The Associated Press that it does not disclose the identities of its donors to protect their privacy.

“Razom calls on the U.S. government to continue to do everything in its power to demand that President Putin release all those unjustly detained by Russia and to hold Russia’s political and military leadership accountable for their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” Dora Chomiak said in her statement.

Where is she now?

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that the White House and the State Department were aware of reports of the arrest and added that “we are trying to get more information and to secure some consular access to that individual.”

The Federal Security Service says that she has been ordered detained as a “preventative measure” while it continues its investigation.

Koretz said that Khavana, meanwhile, has been communicating with her colleagues at the spa through letters and has asked them to help her sell her belongings in Los Angeles, including her car.

“She doesn’t want to leave anybody with her debts,” Koretz said.

If convicted of treason under article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, Khavana faces up to 20 years in prison.

Khavana’s former mother-in-law Eleonora Srebroski tells CBS News that, in the wake of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny’s death in prison, she’s afraid of what might happen to her. 

“I’m very, very concerned about her, about her physical wellbeing,” Srebroski told CBS News on Tuesday. “We know that Navalny was just killed a few days ago. We know it wasn’t just a death. It was the murder.”

“I am in shock,” she told CBS News, adding that there was “no justice in Russia whatsoever.”

russia-arrest-us-yekaterinburg.jpg
A screengrab from video aired on Feb. 20, 2024 by Russia’s state-run broadcaster RU24 shows a woman identified by the FSB security service as a dual U.S.-Russian national from Los Angeles being led into a courtroom in Yekaterinburg after her arrest on suspicion of treason.

Reuters/RU24


News on Tuesday of Khavana’s arrest came the same day a court in the Russian capital ruled to keep Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in custody pending his trial on espionage charges that he denies. 



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Kamala Harris will speak with “60 Minutes” tomorrow. Here’s what to know for the interview.

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Voters will get the chance to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday as she presents her case for why she should be president in a “60 Minutes” election special.

For decades, “60 Minutes” has featured both Republican and Democratic nominees for presidents, but this year, former President Donald Trump backed out after previously indicating he would be on the show. Correspondent Scott Pelley, who’d been set to interview Trump, will instead travel to Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters and a critical battleground in a key swing state. 

One thing is certain about the election; with the U.S. deeply involved in both the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, whoever wins on Nov. 5 will become a wartime president. 

What Harris will discuss

Israel’s war started one year ago after Hamas launched a surprise terror attack and correspondent Bill Whitaker will discuss the ongoing war with Harris. 

Harris will also discuss the economy, immigration, her record as vice president and the differences between herself and Trump.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz will also appear.

Whitaker joined the Democratic ticket on the campaign trail this week to gain insight into their platform’s priorities and values, and what the candidates believe voters should know. 

Why Trump pulled out of the “60 Minutes” interview

Leading up to the candidate hour, Trump, through campaign spokespeople, was the first candidate to accept the “60 Minutes” request to be interviewed for the special, according to CBS News. It had been agreed that both candidates would receive equal time during the broadcast.

Trump last sat down with 60 Minutes in 2020. He walked out during the interview with Lesley Stahl. Trump referenced the incident on Tuesday night at a Milwaukee press conference when asked about his decision not to participate in the Oct. 7 “60 Minutes” election special. 

“Well, right now, I went to – they came to me and would like me to do an interview, but first I want to get an apology, because the last time I did an interview with them, if you remember, they challenged me on the computer,” Trump said. “They said the ‘laptop from hell’ was from Russia, and I said it wasn’t from Russia. It was from Hunter, and I never got an apology, so I’m sort of waiting. I’d love to do ’60 Minutes.’ I do everything.”

The Republican nominee for president emphasized that he felt he was owed an apology from “60 Minutes.”

“Let’s see if they do it. I wouldn’t mind doing 60,” Trump continued. “I’ve done ’60 Minutes’ a lot.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said that Trump’s team had not agreed to an interview.

“Fake News,” Cheung said in a post on X. “60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in. They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.”

Previous Trump, Harris appearances on 60 Minutes

Trump previously sat down with “60 Minutes'” Mike Wallace in 1985, Pelley in 2015 and Lesley Stahl twice in 2016, first in July of that year and then again in November of 2016. He also spoke with Stahl again in 2018 and 2020.

Harris previously sat down with Whitaker last year. She also was interviewed by Norah O’Donnell, “CBS Evening News” anchor and “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent, in 2020

How to watch the “60 Minutes” election special



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Kamala Harris discusses U.S. relationship with Israel

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Kamala Harris discusses U.S. relationship with Israel – CBS News


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Monday, on a 60 Minutes election special, Bill Whitaker asks Vice President Kamala Harris if the U.S. lacks influence over American ally Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Nature: Aspens in Utah – CBS News

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Nature: Aspens in Utah – CBS News


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We leave you this Sunday morning with shades of autumn – aspen trees at Fishlake National Forest in Central Utah. Videographer: Leo McEachern.

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