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US-Russian Ballerina Freed in Prisoner Swap with Russia

Ksenia Karelina, detained for donating $51 to a pro-Ukraine charity, returns to the US after a high-stakes exchange for Arthur Petrov.

FILE - Ksenia Karelina, also known as Khavana sits in a glass cage in a court room in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (AP Photo, File)
Russian-American dual citizen Ksenia Karelina attends a court hearing in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on August 15, 2024.
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Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American dual citizen who was released from detention in Russia, reacts as she arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., April 10, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt

Overview

  • Ksenia Karelina, a dual US-Russian citizen, was sentenced to 12 years in Russia for treason after donating $51 to a US-based Ukrainian charity.
  • Her release was secured through a prisoner exchange in Abu Dhabi, where the US swapped her for Arthur Petrov, a Russian-German citizen accused of smuggling sensitive microelectronics.
  • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe credited President Trump and the CIA for negotiating the exchange.
  • Karelina’s case highlights Russia’s use of detention as a political tool, with her arrest stemming from a visit to family in early 2024.
  • The swap coincided with US-Russia talks focused on restoring embassy operations, deliberately excluding discussions on the Ukraine conflict.