A U.S.-Russian dual national, Ksenia Karelina, was released from Russian imprisonment on treason charges in a prisoner exchange with the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed her release, stating that she is "on a plane back home to the United States." Karelina had been arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in February 2024 and was subsequently convicted of treason for allegedly donating approximately $52 to a charity that aids Ukraine.
The U.S. government condemned the charges against Karelina as "absolutely ludicrous." Her case is representative of a rising trend of Americans being detained in Russia amidst escalating tensions between Washington and Moscow, particularly over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The exchange marks the latest in a series of significant prisoner swaps between the two nations over the past three years.
Kesenia Karelina, a former ballet dancer, reportedly obtained her U.S. citizenship after marrying an American and relocating to Los Angeles. She returned to Russia to visit her family and was arrested shortly thereafter. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) accused her of "proactively" fundraising for a Ukrainian organization that was supplying gear to Ukraine's armed forces. A Russian rights group noted that the charges originated from a relatively small donation of $51.80 to a U.S. charity supporting Ukraine.
Karelina's lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, announced on Instagram that she was en route to the U.S. from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where the prisoner exchange took place. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news, citing a statement from CIA director John Ratcliffe, who confirmed his presence at the Abu Dhabi airport during the exchange.
Ratcliffe remarked on the successful retrieval of another wrongfully detained American from Russia, expressing pride in the CIA officers' dedication to this mission. Additionally, he acknowledged the role of the UAE government in facilitating the exchange. However, the CIA had not responded for comments in the early hours following the announcement.
In the exchange, the U.S. reportedly released Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen, who had been detained in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the U.S. for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics to Russia. Petrov was extradited to the U.S. in August 2024, where he faced serious charges, including export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering. He was said to have participated in a scheme aimed at procuring American-made microelectronics subject to export restrictions for a Russian company that supplied components to manufacturers associated with the Russian military.
Abu Dhabi has previously served as a venue for high-profile prisoner swaps between the U.S. and Russia, notably in December 2022 when American basketball star Brittney Griner was exchanged for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. The UAE has also acted as a mediator in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine regarding prisoner exchanges, with Dubai becoming a refuge for many Russians and Ukrainians fleeing after Moscow's extensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
