A US ballerina who was jailed for 12 years in Russia has been freed in a prisoner exchange, according to her lawyer and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
America and Russia seemingly don't see eye-to-eye on many things right now, with Donald Trump's attempts to persuade Vladimir Putin into a ceasefire proving fruitless, but it seems as if the two countries have managed to come to an agreement when it comes to the fate of Ksenia Karelina.
The ballet dancer was arrested and put behind bars in early 2024 after donating $51 to a charity supporting Ukraine.
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The Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Karelina of taking part in 'public actions to support the Kyiv regime' after she donated $51.80 to a charity supporting Ukraine. The beneficiaries Razom are a New York-based non-profit group that provides non-military aid to the eastern European country which has been war torn ever since Russia invaded in 2022.
While American authorities called the charges brought against her 'absolutely ludicrous', Russia were convinced that Karelina had 'proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organisations, which was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.'
The 34-year-old, who was born in Russia but attained US citizenship in 2021, was accused of treason after officials in Yekaterinburg searched her phone and arrested her in February 2024.
"Today, President Trump brought home another wrongfully detained American from Russia," CIA Director John Ratcliffe told the Wall Street Journal.
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"I’m proud of the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort, and we appreciate the Government of U.A.E. for enabling the exchange."
She was freed as part of a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia, which was negotiated between the CIA and senior Russian intelligence officials. It also saw German-Russian citizen Arthur Petrov freed. He was arrested in Cyprus in 2023 at the request of the US for reportedly exporting sensitive microelectronics.
The swap comes just one day after Karelina's boyfriend, former boxer champion Chris Van Heerden, appealed to the US for its help with freeing his partner while speaking on the The Megyn Kelly Show.
Back in 2024, he told CNN: "She doesn’t intervene with anything about the war. I believe America will bring her back to me."
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Nearly one year on and the two will be finally reunited after she was finally freed and sent on a plane back to the US.
James Moorhouse