A U.S.-Russian dual national imprisoned in Russia on treason charges was released in a prisoner exchange with Washington, according to the woman’s lawyer and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ksenia Karelina, also known as Ksenia Khavana, has been freed and is on her way back to the United States. She was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February 2024 and convicted of treason later that year for donating $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine.
The U.S. authorities denounced the charges against her as “absolutely ludicrous.” Karelina’s case is part of a trend of Americans being detained in Russia amid heightened tensions between the two countries over the conflict in Ukraine. Her release marks another high-profile prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States.
Karelina, a former ballet dancer, obtained U.S. citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles. She was apprehended during a visit to her family in Russia last year.
The Russian Federal Security Service accused her of raising funds for a Ukrainian organization that supported Kyiv’s forces. The charges were related to a $51.80 donation to a U.S. charity aiding Ukraine.
Karelina’s lawyer confirmed that she was en route to the U.S. from Abu Dhabi, where the exchange occurred. CIA director John Ratcliffe was reportedly present during the exchange at the airport in Abu Dhabi.
Ratcliffe praised President Trump for securing the release of another American wrongfully detained in Russia. The CIA played a significant role in facilitating the exchange.
In return, the U.S. released Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen arrested in Cyprus for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics to Russia. Petrov faced charges of export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering upon his extradition to the U.S. in August 2024.
Abu Dhabi has been a key location for prisoner swaps between Russia and the United States. In a previous exchange, American basketball star Brittney Griner was traded for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
The UAE has played a mediating role in prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. Dubai, with its iconic skyscrapers, has become a refuge for many Russians and Ukrainians fleeing the conflict that erupted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
