The United States and Russia exchanged prisoners on Thursday, marking the second such swap since Donald Trump’s return to the White House as both countries seek to ease strained relations.
Moscow released US-Russian ballet dancer and spa worker Ksenia Karelina, detained for over a year on treason charges, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In return, the United States released Arthur Petrov, a Russian-German citizen accused of violating US export controls.
“American Ksenia Karelina is on a plane back home to the United States. She was wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year,” Rubio announced on X, adding that President Trump “will continue to work for the release of ALL Americans.”
Karelina’s lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, confirmed that the swap took place in Abu Dhabi. “As of a couple of hours ago, she was already flying out of Abu Dhabi,” Mushailov told AFP.
According to The Wall Street Journal, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and a senior Russian intelligence official negotiated the exchange, with Ratcliffe present at the Abu Dhabi airport to greet Karelina.
A CIA spokesperson highlighted the significance of maintaining communication with Russia, stating, “While we are disappointed that other Americans remain wrongfully detained, we see this exchange as a positive step.”
The Kremlin has yet to confirm the swap, which follows a series of recent moves aimed at improving ties. Since Trump’s return in January, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have signaled a desire to restore relations damaged by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Talks on reopening scaled-back embassy operations also began Thursday in Istanbul.
Background on the Prisoners
Karelina, born in 1991 and a Los Angeles resident, was sentenced to 12 years in Russia after donating approximately $50 to a pro-Ukraine charity. She was arrested in Yekaterinburg in January 2024 and charged with “treason.” Russian authorities accused her of financing Ukraine’s army, a claim she denied.
Petrov, arrested in Cyprus in 2023 at Washington’s request, was accused of exporting sensitive microelectronics to Russia in violation of US sanctions tied to the Ukraine conflict.
This swap follows other recent exchanges: in February, Russia released US citizen Kalob Wayne Byers, detained for cannabis possession, after a call between Putin and Trump. That same month, Washington exchanged US teacher Marc Fogel for Russian computer expert Alexander Vinnik.
The largest prisoner exchange between the two rivals since the Cold War occurred on August 1, 2024, involving journalists and political opponents swapped for alleged Russian spies held in the West.
Despite recent swaps, several Americans remain imprisoned in Russia, with Washington criticizing what it describes as Moscow’s “hostage diplomacy” aimed at securing the release of Russian nationals detained abroad.
