Russia releases our dual country in obvious prisoner exchange ksenia ksenia karelina

Russia issued KSENIA KARELINA, a dual American Russian national Sentenced to 12 years in prison U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a social media post earlier Thursday that there was no information on its release clause on treason in August last year. The Wall Street Journal reported for the first time on Carrelina’s release, saying she was released by prisoners carefully planned by intelligence agencies from both countries.

“The United States’ Karelina is returning to her home in the United States,” Rubio said in the Post. “She was wrongly detained by Russia for more than a year and President Trump ensured her release.”

In a statement to the newspaper, the magazine quoted CIA Director John Ratcliffe as saying, “President Trump brought home another American who mistakenly detained the United States” and praised “the relentless efforts to support the efforts by CIA officials.”

The swap was held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, and was negotiated by Ratcliffe and a Russian intelligence official who asked not to be named, suggesting the Trump administration’s deepening efforts to improve Moscow’s ties, the Wall Street Journal reported. Mr. Trump has been pushing for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine to end three years Wars triggered by the ongoing full-scale invasion in Russia Its neighbor.

Mikhail Mushailov, a lawyer representing Karelina in Russia, told CBS News that she left Abu Dhabi around 3 a.m. in the east.

In exchange for the ballet dancer Karelina, who lives in California, the journal says the U.S. government released Arthur Petrov, a German Russian national arrested in 2023 by U.S. authorities. He is believed to be an allegation of exporting sensitive microelectronics.

Karelina pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison in a Russian criminal colony. According to reports from Russian state media, she was arrested during a visit to Russia because of a donation of about $51 from the American humanitarian group, which is helping Ukraine be affected by the war.

Her lawyer said she admitted to transferring the funds, although she did not admit she deliberately pointed it at organizations that might use the money to act against Russia. According to her lawyer, she did not expect her donations would eventually support anti-Russian activities.

Carrelina’s boyfriend Chris Van Heerden, Tell CBS News Last year, she made a small donation in 2022, “exercising her First Amendment rights” and added that “she did nothing wrong.”

Van Heerden said he was upset by Karelina’s decision to return to Russia in light of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, but said she “don’t worry in the world” and that she assured him that it would be safe since she entered the country as a dual American Russian citizenship.

“She wants to go home. She makes it very clear that she wants to go home.”

Van Heerden wanted to satisfy her wish, saying he bought her a plane ticket as a birthday gift, and the two headed to Istanbul together first. He initially planned to go to Russia with her from there, but he was uncomfortable, so she traveled to Russia alone and then returned to Los Angeles.

Russia imprisoned many Americans as tensions surged in Washington and eventually fought a full-scale war in Ukraine. Paul Whelanreporter of the Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich And the teacher Marc Fogel All were designated as being wrongly detained like Karelina and released in previous prisoner swap deals with Moscow.

Sergeant Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army is still sentenced to jail in Russia. Gordon BlackThe Russian court, earlier this week, was sentenced to nine months in prison for robbing and threatening his Russian girlfriend.

Robert Gilman, 72, is currently serving 3 1/2 years in Russia for assaulting police. Travis LeakeA musician convicted on drug charges was sentenced to 13 years in prison last summer.

Russian court Another 72-year-old American sentenceStephen Hubbard was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison in October for fighting the Ukrainian military.

Joseph Tate46, still waiting for his trial of attacking Russian police at a hotel in Moscow. According to Russian state media reports, he was involuntarily taken to a psychiatric hospital over the weekend.

Analisa Novak and Emmet Lyons contributed to the report.