Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina, who was imprisoned in Russia for donating $51 to a US-based Ukrainian aid charity, has arrived back in the United States after a prisoner swap for Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen who allegedly exported sensitive microelectronics.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Karelina's release in a social media post on April 10 that credited President Donald Trump for gaining her freedom. Russia's security service, the FSB, confirmed that Petrov was the Russian citizen released in the exchange.
The swap marks the second such exchange between Washington and Moscow since Trump took office in January.
The plane carrying Karelina landed around 11 p.m. local time at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, D.C., where she was greeted by her fiance.
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The Moment Ksenia Karelina Lands In The United States
A 33-year-old former ballet dancer, Karelina moved to the United States in 2015 and received US citizenship in 2021.
"They released the young ballerina and she is now out, and that was good. So we appreciate that," Trump said, adding that the release followed conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Karelina was found guilty last year of treason by a Russian court in Yekaterinburg for transferring money to Razom For Ukraine, a US nonprofit that provides medical and humanitarian aid, in early 2022.
SEE ALSO: 'They Remain In Torturous Conditions': The Prisoners Left Behind In Russia After Historic ExchangeDora Chomiak, the CEO of Razom For Ukraine, said in a statement that the group was "overjoyed" about Karelina's release, but sharply criticized Russia for her detention.
"The case against Ksenia Karelina was a farce from the moment of her detention," said Chomiak. "Peacefully demonstrating solidarity with the people of Ukraine is not a crime. Vladimir Putin imprisoned her for protesting against Russia's invasion and allegedly donating to help alleviate the suffering of Ukrainians."
"She was unconscionably jailed for over a year for exercising the same freedoms that every American citizen holds, and that all Ukrainians are fighting to keep," the statement added.
Russian TV shows footage of Russia-US prisoner swap
Petrov, 34, was arrested in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the United States.
The US Justice Department alleged Petrov had participated "in a scheme to procure US-sourced microelectronics for manufacturers supplying weaponry and other equipment to the Russian military."
The Wall Street Journal quoted an unidentified CIA official as saying CIA Director John Ratcliffe conducted the talks to clinch the swap, which was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
Ratcliffe hailed “the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort.” The CIA also emphasized that “the exchange shows the importance of keeping lines of communication open with Russia, despite the deep challenges in our bilateral relationship.”
SEE ALSO: Griner Says She Contemplated Suicide During Russian Prison OrdealAbu Dhabi was the site of another prisoner swap between Russia and the United States. In December 2022, US basketball star Brittney Griner was swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
The United Arab Emirates has also been a mediator in prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia and the United States conducted the prisoner swap as delegations from the two countries arrived in Istanbul for talks on normalizing the work of their diplomatic missions.
In February, the United States released a confessed Russian cybercriminal, Aleksandr Vinnik, in return for the American teacher Marc Fogel.
Karelina, Fogel, and others are among a growing number of Americans arrested in Russia in recent years as tensions between Moscow and Washington intensified over the war in Ukraine.