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

Ksenia Karelina, an American ballerina who was arrested in Russia final 12 months on treason costs after making a small donation to a Ukrainian help group, was launched in a prisoner swap on Thursday, April 9.

“American Ksenia Karelina is on a airplane again house to america,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a publish on X. “She was wrongfully detained by Russia for over a 12 months.”

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 assist victims of the battle in Ukraine, in line with the Related Press. Russia accused her of elevating cash for Ukraine’s army and convicted her of treason, sentencing her to 12 years in jail, BBC reported final 12 months.

The American ballerina — who has additionally been recognized in previous media experiences 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 line 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 offended, and I am attempting to carry my composure,” he advised the BBC following Karelina’s sentencing final August, saying she “ought to be house.”

On Thursday, van Heerden advised the AP in an announcement that he was “overjoyed” in regards to the information she was lastly coming house. “She has endured a nightmare for 15 months and I can not wait to carry her,” he stated. “Our canine, Boots, can 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 line with the AP.

The outlet experiences that Karelina’s airplane is at present 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 are used for weapons, which circumvented an American export test, in line with the AP.

The prisoner swap happened 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.