Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American woman serving a 12-year prison sentence for treason in Russia, has been released as part of a prisoner exchange that saw her swapped for an accused smuggler held in the United States.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced via X on Thursday that Karelina, an amateur ballet dancer who previously worked as a receptionist, was on her way back to the United States.
“American Ksenia Karelina is on a plane back home to the United States. She was wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year and President Trump secured her release,” Rubio stated.
He added that the president would “continue to work for the release of ALL Americans.”
Karelina is currently on a plane with the U.S. hostage envoy team, as confirmed by a senior official from the Trump administration.
After a stop in Europe, the team is set to continue to Joint Base Andrews, where Karelina will be greeted by a welcoming committee, including her fiancé and one of her longtime friends.
She was exchanged for Arthur Petrov, a dual Russian-German citizen who faced numerous charges including criminal offenses related to export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering, as reported by Russian state news agencies quoting the FSB, Russia’s security agency.
Two U.S. officials confirmed to CNN that Karelina’s swap for Petrov occurred.
The prisoner exchange took place in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and was orchestrated by CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
An official indicated that while talks were ongoing for some time, discussions gained momentum last week when Kirill Dmitriev, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest advisers, visited Washington.
President Donald Trump instructed special envoy Steve Witkoff to engage with Putin regarding Karelina’s release, as shared by a senior Trump administration official.
Those discussions were later continued by Ratcliffe.
A Russian source close to the prisoner exchange confirmed to CNN that Dmitriev played a crucial role in the negotiations.
Adam Boehler, who serves as Trump’s hostage envoy, mentioned to CNN that he had spoken to Karelina on the phone and found her to be “very happy” and “very appreciative” that the president worked for her release.
The news of the exchange surfaced as Russian and U.S. officials convened in Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss embassy operations.
Diplomats from the two nations have met several times since Trump’s inauguration in January, especially as the President pushed for a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
However, efforts toward a ceasefire appear to have stalled recently, following Russia’s refusal to endorse a proposal presented by the U.S. and supported by Ukraine.
The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the exchange took place in Abu Dhabi.
The ministry stated that the choice of Abu Dhabi as the venue reflected the “close friendship” between Russia, the U.S., and the UAE.
The ministry expressed hope that these efforts would help to reduce tensions and promote dialogue and understanding, aiming to achieve regional and international security and stability.
Petrov, who was 33 at the time of his arrest, was charged with criminal offenses linked to smuggling U.S.-made microelectronics to Russia, where they were reportedly used to manufacture weapons and other military equipment.
The U.S. government imposed export controls on many components deemed valuable for weapon manufacture after Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, seeking to limit Russia’s access to Western technologies.
Karelina, who was sentenced in August to 12 years for treason, became a target of scrutiny following a donation of just over $50 to Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based charity supporting Ukraine.
The charity expressed its joy upon learning of Karelina’s release, labeling the charges against her as “a farce from the moment of her detention.”
“We’re incredibly grateful that she is free — but the work will not end until all Americans and Ukrainians held unjustly in Russian captivity are released and Russia’s ambitions to destroy and conquer Ukraine are defeated,” the organization stated in a supporting message.
Karelina’s trial occurred in the same court in Yekaterinburg that sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years for espionage last July.
Gershkovich was released in a historic prisoner swap that included former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, a prominent critic of Putin, as well as Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.
In exchange, several Russian citizens held in various countries were released, including convicted assassin Vadim Krasikov.
Initially, Karelina, now a resident of Los Angeles and an amateur ballerina, had become a U.S. citizen in 2021.
She traveled to Russia in January 2024 to visit her family, including her 90-year-old grandmother, with plans to return to Los Angeles after a brief visit.
Karelina’s release marks the second instance of an American citizen being freed from Russia since Trump’s return to the White House.
Marc Fogel, an American teacher held in Russia for over three years, was released in February in a swap for accused Russian money launderer Alexander Vinnik.
A Russian source close to the recent prisoner exchange noted that the successful Marc Fogel exchange in February fostered increased trust and cooperation in future prisoner swaps with Trump’s team.
The U.S. government is currently monitoring over half a dozen Americans detained in Russia, including Stephen Hubbard, who has been officially designated by the U.S. as wrongfully detained.
Hubbard, 72, was sentenced to nearly seven years in a Russian prison last year for allegedly participating as a mercenary in Ukraine.
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