Ballerina Released in US-Russia Prisoner Exchange After Year in Detention

The release of Ksenia Karelina marks a significant diplomatic gesture between the US and Russia, with implications for future relations.

Amateur ballerina Ksenia Karelina has been freed from imprisonment in Russia as part of a high-profile prisoner swap facilitated by Moscow and Washington. Karelina, a dual citizen and Los Angeles resident, had been incarcerated in Yekaterinburg for over a year after being arrested in early 2024. Russian authorities found her guilty of treason for her financial contributions to a US charity aimed at providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine, resulting in a 12-year sentence in a penal colony.

In a reciprocal move, the US apparently released Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian national detained in Cyprus in 2023. He faced allegations of unlawful export of microelectronics to Russia for use by military manufacturers. The exchange took place in Abu Dhabi early Thursday morning.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Karelina was "on a plane back home to the United States," emphasizing her wrongful detention by Russian authorities. He praised the engagement of President Trump in securing her release and affirmed commitment to negotiating the freedom of more Americans. According to reports, CIA director John Ratcliffe was present during the prisoner exchange, marking this event as the second such swap between the US and Russia within a span of two months, following the release of American teacher Marc Fogel for Russian national Alexander Vinnik in February.