Ballerina Ksenia Karelina Launched in U.S.-Russia Prisoner Swap

Ksenia Karelina, an American ballerina who was arrested in Russia final yr on treason costs after making a small donation to a Ukrainian assist group, was launched in a prisoner swap on Thursday, April 9.

“American Ksenia Karelina is on a airplane again residence to the USA,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a put up on X. “She was wrongfully detained by Russia for over a yr.”

Karelina, a 33-year-old former ballerina, was first arrested in February 2024 after making a $51.80 donation to a U.S. humanitarian group elevating cash to help victims of the battle in Ukraine, in keeping with the Related Press. Russia accused her of elevating cash for Ukraine’s navy and convicted her of treason, sentencing her to 12 years in jail, BBC reported final yr.

The American ballerina — who has additionally been recognized in previous media stories as Ksenia Khavana – had each U.S. and Russian citizenship, the outlet reported. Karelina turned a U.S. citizen in 2021 and final lived in Los Angeles, in keeping with the BBC. She was visiting household again in Russia on the time of her arrest.

Karelina’s boyfriend, boxer Chris van Heerden, had been vocal about her launch, calling on U.S. authorities to incorporate her in earlier prisoner swaps. “I am indignant, and I am attempting to carry my composure,” he advised the BBC following Karelina’s sentencing final August, saying she “ought to be residence.”

On Thursday, van Heerden advised the AP in a press release that he was “overjoyed” in regards to the information she was lastly coming residence. “She has endured a nightmare for 15 months and I can’t wait to carry her,” he mentioned. “Our canine, Boots, can also be eagerly awaiting her return.”

The previous ballerina’s arrest and conviction got here amid a spike in Russian detainments of Americans following the nation’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, in keeping with the AP.

The outlet stories that Karelina’s airplane is at the moment headed to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the place she lived previous to transferring to Los Angeles.

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Karelina was swapped for Arthur Petrov, a German-Russian man convicted by the U.S. for smuggling microelectronics which might be used for weapons, which circumvented an American export examine, in keeping with the AP.

The prisoner swap came about in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates as U.S. and Russian officers met to assist shore up its relationship amid Russia’s ongoing battle towards Ukraine, CBS Information reported.