A Los Angeles-based ballet dancer and dual U.S.-Russian citizen, Ksenia Karelina arrived safely in the United States on Thursday night after being released from Russian custody in a high-profile prisoner swap — the second such exchange under former President Donald Trump.
Karelina, who had been convicted of “treason” in Russia for making a one-time $50 donation to a pro-Ukraine charity, landed at Joint Base Andrews shortly before 11:00 p.m. local time (0300 GMT). Her return was met with applause and emotional embraces from loved ones, including her boyfriend, South African boxer Chris van Heerden, who welcomed her with cheers of “welcome home!”
In exchange, the U.S. released Arthur Petrov, a Russian-German national accused of illegally exporting American electronics to companies linked to Russia’s military. Petrov had been arrested in Cyprus in 2023 and was later extradited to the United States, where he faced up to 20 years in prison.
The exchange was carried out at an airport in Abu Dhabi, as shown in video footage released by Russia’s FSB security service. The clip showed a formal handover attended by officials in suits and later depicted Petrov seated onboard a plane, saying he hadn’t slept in two days but was otherwise fine.
Trump, who oversaw the negotiation, said Karelina’s case was brought to his attention by the president of the UFC. He credited a direct request to Russian President Vladimir Putin for helping secure her release.
“She is now out, and that was good. So we appreciate that,” Trump said during a cabinet meeting. He also expressed hope for broader diplomacy, adding, “We hope that we’re going to be able to make a deal relatively soon with Russia and Ukraine to stop the fighting. It’s so senseless.”
The exchange marks another step in ongoing efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Moscow, which have remained strained since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
