SA-born boxer speaks of heartache watching ballerina girlfriend in Russian court
Ksenia Karelina was arrested and charged first with ‘hooliganism’ and then treason for donating money to a Ukrainian organisation while visiting her home country of Russia.
Picture: Pexels.com
JOHANNESBURG - South African-born boxer Chris van Heerden has spoken out about the heartache of watching his girlfriend, Ksenia Karelina, appear in a Russian court.
The United States (US)-based ballerina was arrested and charged first with "hooliganism" and then treason for donating money to a Ukrainian organisation while visiting her home country of Russia.
She has now pleaded guilty to treason, and Russian authorities have asked for a 15-year prison sentence.
Speaking on Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa on Tuesday morning, Van Heerden said his girlfriend was treated inhumanely.
“When I saw it for the first time, I couldn’t help but choke up and feel all sorts of emotions - her sitting in a cage and you have all these photographers and people just snapping photos away of her and I looked at her face.
"Obviously, she did not cry, but she was fighting back every little tear she could because I could see it - she wanted to cry but she acted tough. It broke my heart. What I felt was not nice."
Van Heerden said the only hope for Karelina now is a prisoner swap.
Recently the US and Russia conducted an extensive prisoner exchange, but she was not part of it.