US-Russian dual national jailed over Ukraine donation released in prisoner swap
She was convicted of treason last year on charges stemming from a donation of about 52 dollars to a charity aiding Ukraine.
A US-Russian dual national jailed in Russia on treason charges was freed in a prisoner exchange with Washington, the woman’s lawyer and US secretary of state Marco Rubio said.
Ksenia Karelina, also identified in the media as Ksenia Khavana, is “on a plane back home to the United States”, Mr Rubio said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
She was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February 2024 and convicted of treason later that year on charges stemming from a donation of about 52 dollars (£40) to a charity aiding Ukraine.
US authorities have called the case against her “absolutely ludicrous”.
Ms Karelina, a former ballet dancer, reportedly obtained US citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles.
She was arrested when she returned to Russia to visit her family last year.
Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, said she “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 First Department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stemmed from a 51.80 dollar donation to a US charity aiding Ukraine.
Ms Karelina’s lawyer Mikhail Mushailov said on Instagram that she was flying to the US from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where the exchange took place.
It was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing a statement from CIA director John Ratcliffe, who it said was on hand for the exchange at an airport in Abu Dhabi.
“Today, President Trump brought home another wrongfully detained American from Russia,” Mr Ratcliffe said.
“I’m proud of the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort, and we appreciate the government of UAE for enabling the exchange.”
The CIA could not be immediately reached for comment in the early hours of Thursday.
The WSJ said that the US in exchange freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen, who was arrested in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the US for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Russian or US authorities.
Petrov was extradited to the US in August 2024 where he faced charges of export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud and money laundering.
He was accused of involvement in a scheme to procure US-sourced microelectronics subject to US export controls on behalf of a Russia-based supplier of critical electronics components for manufacturers supplying weaponry and other equipment to the Russian military.
Abu Dhabi was earlier the scene of another high-profile prisoner swap between Russia and the US.
In December 2022, American basketball star Brittney Griner was traded for the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
The UAE has been a mediator in prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine, while the skyscraper-studded city of Dubai has become home to many Russians and Ukrainian who fled there after the start of Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
