1 week ago
Last Updated:April 11, 2025, 14:55 IST
Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American woman, landed in the US on Thursday night after being released from Russian detention in a prisoner swap.
Ksenia Karelina lands in US (Photo: X/@jmhansler)
Russian-American woman Ksenia Karelina, who was serving a 12-year prison sentence for treason in Russia, arrived in the US after her release under a prisoner exchange initiative.
Karelina, who was swapped with an accused smuggler arrested in the United States, was reunited with her fiancé Chris van Heerden upon her arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland late on Thursday night. A welcoming committee, including one of her longtime friends, also welcomed her back to the country, CNN reported.
She was convicted of treason in Russia due to her donation of just over $50 to a US-based charity that backed Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that President Donald Trump secured her release, adding that she had been “wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year".
Rubio stressed that Trump would “continue to work for the release of ALL Americans".
The prisoner swap took place in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and was conducted by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, according to the officials.
Karelina was on board the flight back home with the US hostage envoy team, according to a senior Trump administration official. The plane stopped in Europe and then continued its flight to Maryland.
Karelina was swapped for Arthur Petrov, a Russian-German citizen who was being held in the US for crimes such as breaking export rules, smuggling, fraud, and money laundering.
Two US officials familiar with the developments confirmed to CNN that she was exchanged with Petrov.
An official said that although the prisoner swap had been discussed for a while, the talks became more serious last week when Kirill Dmitriev, a close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, visited Washington.
Location :United States of America (USA)
First Published:April 11, 2025, 14:52 IST
News world Russian-American Woman, Serving Jail Term For Treason In Russia, Returns To US After Prisoner Swap
