Ksenia Karelina, US-Russia Citizen, Released in Prisoner Swap/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Ksenia Karelina, a dual US-Russian citizen, has been released from Russian detention in a prisoner swap with the United States. She had been convicted of treason for a $52 donation to a Ukraine-related charity. The exchange involved Russian-German national Arthur Petrov, charged with smuggling sensitive tech to Russia.
Ksenia Karelina Freed in Prisoner Swap: Quick Looks
- Ksenia Karelina was arrested in Russia in 2024 for alleged treason.
- Her case involved a small donation to a Ukraine-aiding nonprofit.
- The U.S. traded her for Arthur Petrov, accused of tech smuggling.
- The swap occurred in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with diplomatic support.
- It marks a second high-profile release under President Trump.
- U.S. officials see it as part of a thaw in U.S.-Russia ties.
- Russian President Putin issued a pardon for Karelina before the exchange.
- The UAE played a mediating role, hosting the transfer.
Ksenia Karelina, US-Russia Citizen, Released in Prisoner Swap
Deep Look
In a notable turn of events in ongoing U.S.-Russia diplomacy, Ksenia Karelina, a dual citizen of the United States and Russia, was released from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Karelina, also known by her alternative name, Ksenia Khavana, had been convicted of treason in 2024 after donating approximately $52 to a U.S.-based charity supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. American officials had condemned the charges as unjust and politically motivated.
Her release came in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a Russian-German national detained in the United States. Petrov had been accused of attempting to smuggle restricted microelectronics to Russia—parts believed to be essential to Moscow’s defense and weapons industry. The U.S. had arrested him in Cyprus in 2023 and extradited him the following year.
The high-stakes exchange occurred in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which has emerged as a neutral ground for U.S.-Russia negotiations, particularly on prisoner releases. Images released by UAE state media and the Russian FSB showed Karelina boarding a plane, greeted by UAE officials, including Ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba.
According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Karelina is “on a plane back home to the United States,” a moment that her fiancé, Chris van Heerden, described as a dream come true after more than a year of distress. “She has endured a nightmare for 15 months,” van Heerden said, adding that even their dog, Boots, was awaiting her return.
The FSB stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had issued a pardon for Karelina, a requirement for the swap to proceed. Video footage provided by the FSB documented her being escorted to a flight inside Russia, while Petrov was shown walking off a separate plane in Abu Dhabi, shaking hands with Russian officials before boarding a flight back to Moscow.
Petrov’s legal troubles stem from U.S. Justice Department allegations that he participated in a broader scheme to bypass American export controls, acquiring microelectronics intended for Russian military purposes. He was facing a potential 20-year sentence in the U.S.
This diplomatic breakthrough is not isolated. In February 2025, Russia released Marc Fogel, an American teacher sentenced for drug offenses, in a similar exchange. Another American, arrested on drug charges, was also released just days after being taken into custody.
The timing of these exchanges reflects a shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump, who has favored engaging Russia in dialogue rather than continuing the isolationist stance that began following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Talks between Russian and American diplomats resumed in Istanbul on Thursday, signaling a possible detente and a recalibration of strategies in handling ongoing tensions, including the war in Ukraine.
Karelina, a former ballet dancer who became a U.S. citizen through marriage and settled in Los Angeles, had returned to Russia to visit family when she was detained. Russian security agencies claimed she had “proactively” contributed to an organization supplying Kyiv’s forces, citing a single $51.80 donation as the basis for treason charges. Human rights groups, such as The First Department, have repeatedly criticized the severity of these actions by Russian authorities.
U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz praised Trump’s administration on X, stating that it “continues to work around the clock to ensure Americans detained abroad are returned home to their families.” Karelina’s attorney, Mikhail Mushailov, confirmed her departure from Russia and return flight to the U.S.
The swap also continues a pattern of UAE involvement in U.S.-Russia detainee negotiations. In 2022, Abu Dhabi facilitated the headline-grabbing exchange of WNBA star Brittney Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dubai has become a sanctuary for many Russians and Ukrainians fleeing war and political uncertainty.
As diplomatic meetings continue, Karelina’s release serves both as a humanitarian relief and a potential signal of more pragmatic relations between two world powers still divided by war, sanctions, and geopolitical rivalry.
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