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A woman faces up to 20 years in prison in Russia for making a small donation to a nonprofit organization raising funds for Ukraine.

Ksenia Karelina was born in Russia but moved to the United States over a decade ago and works as a beautician at a spa in Los Angeles.

She was arrested by the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB in January while visiting her parents and little sister in Yekaterinburg.

Her former mother-in-law, Eleonora Srebroski, told Reuters in February that Ms Karelina had travelled home in January after her boyfriend surprised her with a plane ticket.

She had told her boyfriend that Russia was “safe” and that he should not worry if she traveled there.

Ms Karelina was initially arrested for a minor violation of the law against “petty hooliganism” but was later charged with treason.

The beautician, who is in her early thirties, had reportedly made a small donation to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit that sends civilian aid to the country.

Her ex-husband described her as a fun-loving woman who was not particularly interested in politics.

Ms. Karelina’s social media profiles feature photos of her and her friends on the beach and traveling, but without any political messages.

A photo from November 2021 shows her in a long dress, smiling and waving a small American flag, with the caption “Citizenship.”

The trial is taking place behind closed doors in Yekaterinburg, with the next session scheduled for August 7.