WASHINGTON — A Russian-American girl freed by Moscow arrived again in the US late Thursday as a part of a prisoner swap accomplished as the 2 nations purpose to restore ties.
A aircraft carrying Ksenia Karelina landed round 11 p.m. EDT at Joint Base Andrews, the place she was greeted by her fiancé. Morgan Ortagus, President Donald Trump’s deputy particular envoy to the Center East, introduced her with a bouquet. She was launched earlier within the day in change for a Russian-German man who’d been jailed within the U.S. on smuggling expenses.
Karelina was arrested within the Ural Mountains metropolis of Yekaterinburg in February 2024 and convicted of treason on expenses stemming from a donation of about $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine. U.S. authorities have referred to as the case “absolutely ludicrous.”
“They released the young ballerina and she is now out, and that was good. So we appreciate that,” President Donald Trump stated at a Cupboard assembly Thursday. He stated the discharge adopted conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Arthur Petrov was launched as a part of the swap in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in response to the Federal Safety Service, or FSB, Russia’s essential safety and counterintelligence company. Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 on the request of the U.S. on expenses of smuggling delicate microelectronics to Russia and extradited to the U.S. a 12 months later.
Karelina was amongst a rising variety of People arrested in Russia lately as tensions between Moscow and Washington spiked over the warfare in Ukraine. Her launch is the most recent in a collection of high-profile prisoner exchanges Russia and the U.S. carried out within the final three years — and the second since Trump took workplace and reversed Washington’s coverage of isolating Russia in an effort to finish the warfare in Ukraine.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe hailed “the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort.” The CIA additionally emphasised that “the exchange shows the importance of keeping lines of communication open with Russia, despite the deep challenges in our bilateral relationship.”
In the meantime, Russian and U.S. diplomats met in Istanbul for a second spherical of talks on normalizing embassies’ work, following the primary such assembly in February. The State Division stated the delegations “exchanged notes to finalize an understanding to ensure the stability of diplomatic banking for Russian and U.S. bilateral missions.”
It stated the U.S. reiterated its issues in regards to the Russian ban on hiring of native employees, “the key impediment to maintaining for stable and sustainable staffing levels at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.”
Alexander Darchiyev, Russia’s ambassador to Washington, who led Moscow’s delegation within the talks, praised their “positive atmosphere” and famous the events agreed to proceed discussions to facilitate diplomats’ journey. He added that the Russian facet additionally pushed for a fast return of its diplomatic property seized by U.S. authorities.
In February, Russia launched American instructor Marc Fogel, imprisoned on drug expenses, in a swap that the White Home described as a part of a diplomatic thaw that would advance peace negotiations. That very same month, Russia launched one other American simply days after arresting him on drug smuggling expenses.
Karelina, a former ballet dancer additionally recognized in some media as Ksenia Khavana, lived in Maryland earlier than transferring to Los Angeles. She was arrested when she returned to Russia to go to her household final 12 months.
The FSB accused her of “proactively” accumulating cash for a Ukrainian group that was supplying gear to Kyiv’s forces. The First Division, a Russian rights group, stated the costs stemmed from a $51.80 donation to a U.S. charity aiding Ukraine.
“I am overjoyed to hear that the love of my life, Ksenia Karelina is on her way home from wrongful detention in Russia,” Karelina’s fiancé, skilled boxer Chris van Heerden, stated in an announcement. “She has endured a nightmare for 15 months and I cannot wait to hold her. Our dog, Boots, is also eagerly awaiting her return.”
He thanked Trump and his envoys, in addition to outstanding public figures who had championed her case, together with Dana White, a Trump pal and CEO of the Final Preventing Championship. Trump additionally credited White, too, saying the UFC boss had referred to as him in regards to the case.
White Home nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz stated on X, “President Trump and his administration continue to work around the clock to ensure Americans detained abroad are returned home to their families.”
The change was first reported by The Wall Avenue Journal.
The FSB, which stated Putin had pardoned Karelina earlier than the swap, launched a video displaying her being escorted to a aircraft someplace in Russia. The footage then featured what seemed to be the scene of change on the Abu Dhabi airport, with Petrov strolling off a aircraft and shaking palms with Russian officers on the tarmac.
The video confirmed Petrov present process medical checkups on a flight to Russia. “I have no particular complaints, just a bit tired,” he stated.
One other video launched by the FSB later within the day confirmed him strolling off a aircraft after arriving in Russia.
Petrov was accused by the U.S. Justice Division of involvement in a scheme to obtain microelectronics topic to U.S. export controls on behalf of a Russia-based provider of vital parts for the nation’s weapons industries. He was going through a 20-year jail time period within the U.S.
Abu Dhabi was the scene of one other high-profile prisoner swap between Russia and the US. In December 2022, American basketball star Brittney Griner was traded for the infamous Russian arms seller Viktor Bout.
The UAE has been a mediator in prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine, whereas the skyscraper-studded metropolis of Dubai has grow to be house to many Russians and Ukrainians who fled there after the beginning of Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
