WASHINGTON, August 15. /TASS/. The US will seek the release of dual Russian-American national Ksenia Karelina, after a Russian court found her guilty of treason and sentenced to 12 years in prison, US National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said.

"We're going to continue to seek consular access to her, of course, and we're going to continue, as we have been trying, to work for her release," he said.

Kirby said the verdict represented "vindictive cruelty" by the Russian government. He also said the verdict showed Russia has "no real system of justice."

Earlier, Russia’s Federal Security Service told TASS that Karelina, a 33-year-old Los Angeles resident, was arrested in Yekaterinburg on charges of high treason for collecting funds for the Ukrainian armed forces. The woman was subsequently remanded into custody.