Woman jailed over charity gift freed in US-Russia prisoner swap

Russian American citizens were released due to the exchange of prisoners between Moscow and Washington.

Ballerina KSENIA KARELINA, a resident of Los Angeles, was imprisoned in Russia for more than a year after being arrested in YEKARINBURG in early 2024.

She was convicted of rebellion for donating money to Ukraine -based charity, which provided humanitarian aid, and was sentenced to 12 years of punishment.

In return, the United States liberated Arthur Petrov, a double German-Russian citizen arrested in Cyprus in 2023. He was accused of illegally exporting micro -electrons to Russia for manufacturers working with Russian troops.

Prisoner swaps happened in Abu Dabi early Thursday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Mr. Karelina was “on a plane back to the United States.”

He added that she was “misappropriated by Russia for more than a year.”

“Trump has secured her release. [The President] I will continue to work for all Americans release. “

The Wall Street Journal said John Ratcliffe attended the exchange.

It is the second prisoner swap between Russia and the United States within two months.

In February, Alexander Vinnik, Russia National Alexander Vinnik -A person who was imprisoned in the US prison for alleged laundering of funds- It was liberated by exchanging with the release Marc Fogel of American School Teachers.