Ksenia Karelina: Ballerina Home in the US After Prisoner Swap, Surrounded by Hugs and Smiles | US News
A former dancer who spent over a year in a Russian prison for contributing £40 to a charity aiding Ukraine has returned to the US after being released in a prisoner swap.
Ksenia Karelina arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland at roughly 11 PM local time on Thursday.
A beaming Ms. Karelina was welcomed on the tarmac by her fiancé, professional boxer Chris van Heerden, and received flowers from Morgan Ortagus, President Donald Trump’s deputy special envoy to the Middle East.
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Ksenia Karelina arrives at Joint Base Andrews. Pic: AP
Van Heerden expressed in a statement that he was “overjoyed that the love of my life, Ksenia Karelina, is on her way home from wrongful detention in Russia.
“She has faced a nightmare for 15 months, and I cannot wait to embrace her. Our dog, Boots, is also excited for her return.”
He extended his gratitude to Mr. Trump and his representatives, as well as notable public figures who advocated for her case, including Dana White, a friend of Mr. Trump and the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Ms. Karelina, 34, a dual citizen of the US and Russia, also known as Ksenia Khavana, was charged with treason upon her arrest in Yekaterinburg, southwestern Russia, while visiting family in February of last year.
Investigators examined her mobile phone and discovered she had made a $51.80 (£40) donation to Razom, a charity providing support to Ukraine, on the first day of Russia’s invasion in 2022.
She pleaded guilty during a closed trial in the city in August of last year and was subsequently sentenced to 12 years, to be served in a penal facility.
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Mr. Trump, who is keen to restore relations with Moscow, stated that the Kremlin “released the young ballerina, and she is now free, which is good. We appreciate that.”
Ksenia Karelina is hugged by her boyfriend, Chris van Heerden. Pic: Reuters
He mentioned that the release followed discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian security agencies accused her of “proactively” fundraising for a Ukrainian organization supplying equipment to Kyiv’s forces.
The First Department, a Russian human rights group, stated that the allegations originated from a $51.80 donation to a US charity supporting Ukraine.
Washington labeled her case “absolutely ludicrous” and released Arthur Petrov, who had been detained on charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia, in the prisoner swap that took place in Abu Dhabi.
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Karelina was among a rising number of Americans detained in Russia in recent years as tensions between Moscow and Washington escalated due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Her release marks yet another occurrence in a sequence of high-profile prisoner exchanges between Russia and the US in the past three years – the second exchange since Mr. Trump assumed office.
White House national security adviser Mike Waltz remarked that members of the Trump administration “continue to work tirelessly to ensure that Americans detained abroad return home to their families”.
