American ballerina Ksenia Karelina's detention in Russia is extended until July after she was locked up while visiting her grandmother for 'raising $51 for the Ukrainian army'

A US-Russian ballerina has been locked up while visiting her grandmother in Russia after being accused of 'funding the Ukrainian armed forces'.

Ksenia Karelina, 33, a dual national, was detained in Russia after flying back to her original homeland to see her relatives including a grandmother in her 90s.

However, she now faces a charge of treason in Yekaterinburg after her phone was seized and unlocked and it allegedly showed a payment two years ago of $51.80 to an organisation in the US offering charitable aid to Ukraine, which Moscow says went to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Despite scant evidence, Russian prosecutors will argue the money was used to finance the Ukrainian army, and purchase ammunition, which could send her to jail for between 12 and 20 years under draconian Putin laws.

Ksenia Karelina, 33, a dual national, was detained in Russia after flying back to her original homeland to see her relatives including a grandmother in her 90s

She now faces a charge of treason in Yekaterinburg after her phone was seized and unlocked and it allegedly showed a payment two years ago of $51.80 to an organisation in the US offering charitable aid to Ukraine

Despite scant evidence, Russian prosecutors will argue the money was used to finance the Ukrainian army, and purchase ammunition

A picture shows her at an anti-Putin and anti-war protest in Los Angeles — which may be the real reason the FSB secret service is acting so brutally against her. She is holding a sign with a Ukrainian flag declaring 'We want peace' next to a friend with a 'Stop Putin' poster'

Ahead of a full trial, the Verkh-Isetsky district court ordered Karelina's detention until July 5.

A picture shows her at an anti-Putin and anti-war protest in Los Angeles — which may be the real reason the FSB secret service is acting so brutally against her.

She is holding a sign with a Ukrainian flag declaring 'We want peace' next to a friend with a 'Stop Putin' poster'.

It is unclear where the pictures were obtained by the Russian authorities, but it is known Karelina's cell phone was closely examined by Putin's secret service agents after she arrived back to Russia in early January.

The dictator does not tolerate any opposition to him or his bloody war.

California spa-worker Karelina's problems have deepened as she is accused of being a full-fledged American spy despite no visible evidence for such an accusation.

Pro-war Telegram channel UralLive demanded: 'How do they 'excuse' an American woman who was caught financing neo-Nazis in Yekaterinburg?'

She now faces between 12 and 20 years in prison under draconian Putin laws

California spa-worker Karelina's problems have deepened as she is accused of being a full-fledged American spy despite no visible evidence for such an accusation

It is unclear where the pictures were obtained by the Russian authorities, but it is known Karelina's cell phone was closely examined by Putin's secret service agents after she arrived back to Russia in early January

The report alleged with no proof that she financially supported 'maniacs and murderers who destroy the civilian population'

 It continued: 'Western agents have already rushed to acquit Ksenia Karelina, who was arrested in Yekaterinburg [where her Russian family live] on charges of treason.

'And all the arguments are from the same manual.

'The girl made the first step - transferring [money] for the needs of Kyiv militants which was supposedly 'small'…'

The report alleged with no proof that she financially supported 'maniacs and murderers who destroy the civilian population.'

It defended Putin's security agents who handcuffed and detained the US citizen.

'The [Russian] security forces acted in accordance with the law,' said the channel which is closely linked to Solovyov, who reposted the report.

The report went on to allege she was a 'spy', claiming: 'She understood where and what she was sending.

'They were excusing perverts, today they are excusing spies.'