Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American dancer convicted of treason in Russia, is returning to the United States following a high-level prisoner exchange.
Karelina Freed After Treason Conviction
Russian authorities arrested Karelina last year for donating to a U.S.-based charity offering humanitarian aid to Ukraine. A Russian court convicted her of treason.
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed her release. “She is on her way home,” Rubio stated.
Prisoner Exchange Involves Electronics Smuggling Suspect
In return, the United States released Artur Petrov, a German-Russian citizen. He was arrested in Cyprus in 2023 on charges of smuggling sensitive U.S. microelectronics to Russia.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Petrov helped supply the Russian military by using shell companies to hide illegal technology exports.
High-Level Negotiations Led by CIA and FSB
The CIA and Russian intelligence agencies managed the exchange talks. CIA Director John Ratcliffe and senior Russian intelligence officials reportedly met in Abu Dhabi to finalize the deal.
“President Trump today brought home another wrongfully imprisoned American citizen from Russia,” Ratcliffe told The Wall Street Journal. He praised CIA personnel and thanked the United Arab Emirates for helping with the exchange.
Karelina’s Departure Confirmed
Karelina’s lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, confirmed that she left Abu Dhabi for the United States on Thursday morning.
Previous Prisoner Exchanges Involve High-Profile Figures
This release follows other recent exchanges. In February, American teacher Mark Vogel was freed during a visit to Moscow by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Negotiators included Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian investor Kirill Dmitriev.
Last August, the U.S. and Russia exchanged 24 prisoners, including journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the CIA chief also spoke with Alexander Bortnikov of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and Sergei Naryshkin of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
About The Author
