Ksenia Karelina, an American citizen and amateur ballerina, has been released in a significant prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, following over a year of imprisonment for treason stemming from her philanthropic donations.
Ballerina Freed in US-Russia Prisoner Exchange After Treason Conviction
Ballerina Freed in US-Russia Prisoner Exchange After Treason Conviction
Amateur ballerina Ksenia Karelina is released after being jailed in Russia for donating to a Ukraine charity.
The article text:
Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American citizen residing in Los Angeles, was freed in a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington after being detained for more than a year. Arrested in Yekaterinburg in early 2024, Karelina faced severe consequences for her humanitarian efforts; she was convicted of treason for contributing funds to a U.S.-based charity aimed at providing support to Ukraine. This led to a harsh conviction and a sentence of 12 years in a Russian penal colony.
The U.S. government secured her release by exchanging her for Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen apprehended in Cyprus in 2023. Petrov was implicated in illegally exporting microelectronics to Russian entities with military ties.
The swap occurred in Abu Dhabi early Thursday morning, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing Karelina's freedom and confirming she was "on a plane back home to the United States." Rubio emphasized that Karelina had been "wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year." He noted that former President Trump played a crucial role in orchestrating her release and expressed ongoing commitment to securing the freedom of all detained Americans.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was reportedly present at the exchange, which marked the second such incident between the U.S. and Russia in under two months. In February, a similar deal saw Russian national Alexander Vinnik, held in a U.S. prison over money laundering accusations, exchanged for Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher imprisoned in Russia. The recent developments highlight the tense and complex relations between the two nations, as they navigate the ongoing geopolitical landscape.
Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American citizen residing in Los Angeles, was freed in a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington after being detained for more than a year. Arrested in Yekaterinburg in early 2024, Karelina faced severe consequences for her humanitarian efforts; she was convicted of treason for contributing funds to a U.S.-based charity aimed at providing support to Ukraine. This led to a harsh conviction and a sentence of 12 years in a Russian penal colony.
The U.S. government secured her release by exchanging her for Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen apprehended in Cyprus in 2023. Petrov was implicated in illegally exporting microelectronics to Russian entities with military ties.
The swap occurred in Abu Dhabi early Thursday morning, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing Karelina's freedom and confirming she was "on a plane back home to the United States." Rubio emphasized that Karelina had been "wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year." He noted that former President Trump played a crucial role in orchestrating her release and expressed ongoing commitment to securing the freedom of all detained Americans.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was reportedly present at the exchange, which marked the second such incident between the U.S. and Russia in under two months. In February, a similar deal saw Russian national Alexander Vinnik, held in a U.S. prison over money laundering accusations, exchanged for Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher imprisoned in Russia. The recent developments highlight the tense and complex relations between the two nations, as they navigate the ongoing geopolitical landscape.
