Latest news with #RazomforUkraine
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US senators introduce bipartisan resolution demanding return of abducted Ukrainian children
Washington, D.C. — In a rare display of bipartisan unity, a group of U.S. senators has introduced a resolution calling for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, urging that no peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine be finalized until all minors are safely repatriated. The resolution condemns what it describes as Russia's systematic abduction, forced transfer, and illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. It states that "Russia's abduction and Russification of Ukrainian children demonstrate Russia's intent to erase the Ukrainian nation and identity." The effort is being led by a group of six senators, including Republicans Charles E. Grassley, Roger Wicker, Joni Ernst, and Rick Scott, and Democrats Amy Klobuchar, Dick Durbin and John Fetterman. The resolution underscores that the invasion of Ukraine has increased the vulnerability of children to multiple threats, noting that the "invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has significantly increased the risks of children being exposed to human trafficking and exploitation, child labor, sexual violence, hunger, injury, trauma, deprivation of education and shelter, and death." According to Ukrainian authorities, as of April 16, more than 19,500 children have been confirmed as unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred to Russia, Belarus, or areas of Ukraine under Russian occupation. So far, only 1,274 have been returned to Ukrainian-controlled territories. Read also: Because of Russia, my child understood fear early The resolution frames the abduction of children as a violation of international humanitarian law and the Genocide Convention, citing Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and Article II(e) of the Genocide Convention, which prohibits the forcible transfer of children from one group to another. The U.S. State Department's 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report has also documented Russia's recruitment of child soldiers and described the country as a global epicenter for state-sponsored human trafficking. Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit supporting Ukraine, has endorsed the resolution. The organization stated, "This is an important step in President Donald Trump's March 19 promise to ensure Ukrainian children abducted by Russia are returned to their families. By kidnapping over 19,546 children from Ukraine, Russia is simultaneously erasing these children's identities as Ukrainians while holding them hostage. The United States must say clearly that children are not bargaining chips and must be returned immediately." Ambassador John Herbst, senior director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center and former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said that "Ukraine's kidnapped kids are counting on Congress and President Trump to insist that Moscow free them. Full stop." "According to available data, Russia has abducted more than 19,400 Ukrainian children since 2022 — an outrageous crime. Freeing Ukraine's children should be a prerequisite to any negotiations, and I thank President Trump for expressing his desire to help free Ukraine's children." Mykola Kuleba, CEO and founder of Save Ukraine and former ombudsman for children in Ukraine, emphasized the urgency of returning the children. "As a nonprofit leader working to rescue and reunite these children with their families, I'm grateful for every voice raised on their behalf. We deeply appreciate leaders urging action to ensure that these children are safely returned with urgency," he said. The resolution also references earlier remarks by former President Donald Trump, who has claimed he could persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to release the abducted children. "President Trump help make sure those children were returned home," said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz at the time. In 2022, Putin signed a decree that made it easier for Russian families to adopt Ukrainian children. The Russian government revised its adoption laws to fast-track the placement of abducted children with Russian families, often after stripping them of their names, language, and national identity. The State Department's Conflict Observatory reports that at least 35,000 children have been affected by these forced transfers. Researchers say the data is vital to Ukraine's ongoing efforts to locate and repatriate abducted children. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Putin and Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for their roles in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. The United States has also sanctioned at least 32 individuals and three Russian entities for their involvement in these abductions and related human rights violations. The bipartisan resolution signals that both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are united in condemning Russia's actions and in demanding the immediate return of Ukraine's children. Read also: As Russia trains abducted children for war, Ukraine fights uphill battle to bring them home We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Epoch Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Recently Released Russian Ballerina Prisoner to Visit White House
A Russian American ballerina freed last month from a prison in Russia as part of a prisoner exchange, Ksenia Karelina, is set to visit the White House on Monday to meet with President Donald Trump, a White House official told The Epoch Times. The 33-year-old dual citizen's visit underscores the delicate balance of negotiations with Moscow amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. Karelina, a Los Angeles resident and amateur ballerina who was born in Russia and became a U.S. citizen in 2021, was arrested in February 2024 while visiting family in Yekaterinburg. Russian authorities The charity, Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit, denied funding military efforts and said its group is focused on humanitarian aid. 'The case against Ksenia Karelina was a farce from the moment of her detention,' Dora Chomiak, the charity's CEO, said in a Related Stories 2/20/2024 4/19/2025 'Peacefully demonstrating solidarity with the people of Ukraine is not a crime.' Russia's Federal Security Service claimed the donation supported Ukraine's armed forces. Karelina pleaded guilty in August 2024 and was sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security prison. Her release on April 10 came after intense negotiations between American and Russian intelligence agencies, culminating in a swap at an Abu Dhabi airport overseen by Central Intelligence Agency director John Ratcliffe. 'Honored to greet Ksenia Karelina early this morning and help get her returned home to the United States. Grateful for the CIA officers who worked to make this success possible,' Ratcliffe 'President Trump will continue to work for the release of all wrongfully detained Americans.' To secure the deal, the United States freed Arthur Petrov, a dual Russian German citizen accused of smuggling military-grade electronics in violation of sanctions. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a pardon for Karelina, a gesture seen as a nod to improving ties with the Trump administration, which has signaled openness to dialogue with Moscow to end the Ukraine conflict. The exchange reflects a broader pattern of U.S.–Russia prisoner swaps, including the February release of American teacher Marc Fogel for Russian cybercriminal Alexander Vinnik. Fogel also visited Trump at the executive mansion. Karelina's White House visit, symbolizing Trump's 'peace through strength' policy, comes as his administration pushes for a Ukraine peace deal, with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff expected to visit Moscow soon.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A Los Angeles woman arrested in Russia has been freed in a prisoner swap. Here's what we know
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Moscow has freed a Russian American convicted of treason in exchange for a Russian German man jailed on smuggling charges in the U.S. The prisoner swap was completed Thursday and Ksenia Karelina was "on a plane back home to the United States,' U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X. She was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February 2024 and convicted of treason on charges stemming from a donation of about $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine. U.S. authorities have called the case 'absolutely ludicrous.' Here is what is known about Karelina and Russia's case against her: Who is Karelina? Karelina, also identified in some media as Ksenia Khavana, is a citizen of the U.S. and Russia who had lived in Los Angeles. The independent Russian news outlet Mediazona said that she had received U.S. citizenship after marrying an American. Isabella Koretz, owner of a Beverly Hills spa where Karelina had worked for eight years, told The Associated Press last year that Karelina, a ballet dancer, came to the U.S. to study at the University of Maryland in Baltimore before relocating to California. She said Karelina is now divorced and does not have any relatives in the U.S. According to Koretz, Karelina tried to see her family in Russia at least once a year, usually around Christmas and New Year's. Koretz said Karelina flew to Russia from Istanbul in early January 2024 for a two-week trip to spend time with her 90-year-old grandmother, parents and younger sister. That's when she was arrested. What was she convicted of? Russia's Federal Security Service alleged that Karelina had been 'proactively' raising funds for a Ukrainian organization since February 2022 — money that it says was 'subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.' The First Department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stemmed from a $51.80 donation to a U.S. charity aiding Ukraine. The agency said she also took part in 'public actions' in the U.S. in support of Kyiv. Koretz said last year that Karelina actually was collecting funds for humanitarian aid and had made a donation to Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit that says it provides medical kits and disaster relief to those affected by Russia's invasion of the country. 'We're talking about diapers and formula, that's what she was collecting money for,' Koretz said. 'We're not talking about money for weapons.' What has the charity said? Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine, said in a statement Thursday that the charity's staff was overjoyed at the news of Karelina's release. Chomiak thanked President Donald Trump and his team for working to make it happen. 'She was unconscionably jailed for over a year for exercising the same freedoms that every American citizen holds, and that all Ukrainians are fighting to keep," the statement said. 'We're incredibly grateful that she's 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.' Who did the Americans release? Arthur Petrov, a Russian German, was freed by the U.S. as part of the prisoner swap in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, according to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, Russia's main security and counterintelligence agency. Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 at the request of the U.S. on charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia. He was extradited to the U.S. a year later.
Associated Press
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
A Los Angeles woman arrested in Russia has been freed in a prisoner swap. Here's what we know
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Moscow has freed a Russian American convicted of treason in exchange for a Russian German man jailed on smuggling charges in the U.S. The prisoner swap was completed Thursday and Ksenia Karelina was 'on a plane back home to the United States,' U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X. She was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February 2024 and convicted of treason on charges stemming from a donation of about $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine. U.S. authorities have called the case 'absolutely ludicrous.' Here is what is known about Karelina and Russia's case against her: Who is Karelina? Karelina, also identified in some media as Ksenia Khavana, is a citizen of the U.S. and Russia who had lived in Los Angeles. The independent Russian news outlet Mediazona said that she had received U.S. citizenship after marrying an American. Isabella Koretz, owner of a Beverly Hills spa where Karelina had worked for eight years, told The Associated Press last year that Karelina, a ballet dancer, came to the U.S. to study at the University of Maryland in Baltimore before relocating to California. She said Karelina is now divorced and does not have any relatives in the U.S. According to Koretz, Karelina tried to see her family in Russia at least once a year, usually around Christmas and New Year's. Koretz said Karelina flew to Russia from Istanbul in early January 2024 for a two-week trip to spend time with her 90-year-old grandmother, parents and younger sister. That's when she was arrested. What was she convicted of? Russia's Federal Security Service alleged that Karelina had been 'proactively' raising funds for a Ukrainian organization since February 2022 — money that it says was 'subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.' The First Department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stemmed from a $51.80 donation to a U.S. charity aiding Ukraine. The agency said she also took part in 'public actions' in the U.S. in support of Kyiv. Koretz said last year that Karelina actually was collecting funds for humanitarian aid and had made a donation to Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit that says it provides medical kits and disaster relief to those affected by Russia's invasion of the country. 'We're talking about diapers and formula, that's what she was collecting money for,' Koretz said. 'We're not talking about money for weapons.' What has the charity said? Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine, said in a statement Thursday that the charity's staff was overjoyed at the news of Karelina's release. Chomiak thanked President Donald Trump and his team for working to make it happen. 'She was unconscionably jailed for over a year for exercising the same freedoms that every American citizen holds, and that all Ukrainians are fighting to keep,' the statement said. 'We're incredibly grateful that she's 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.' Who did the Americans release? Arthur Petrov, a Russian German, was freed by the U.S. as part of the prisoner swap in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, according to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, Russia's main security and counterintelligence agency. Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 at the request of the U.S. on charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia. He was extradited to the U.S. a year later.
The Independent
10-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
A Los Angeles woman arrested in Russia has been freed in a prisoner swap. Here's what we know
Moscow has freed a Russian American convicted of treason in exchange for a Russian German man jailed on smuggling charges in the U.S. The prisoner swap was completed Thursday and Ksenia Karelina was "on a plane back home to the United States,' U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X. She was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February 2024 and convicted of treason on charges stemming from a donation of about $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine. U.S. authorities have called the case 'absolutely ludicrous.' Here is what is known about Karelina and Russia's case against her: Who is Karelina? Karelina, also identified in some media as Ksenia Khavana, is a citizen of the U.S. and Russia who had lived in Los Angeles. The independent Russian news outlet Mediazona said that she had received U.S. citizenship after marrying an American. Isabella Koretz, owner of a Beverly Hills spa where Karelina had worked for eight years, told The Associated Press last year that Karelina, a ballet dancer, came to the U.S. to study at the University of Maryland in Baltimore before relocating to California. She said Karelina is now divorced and does not have any relatives in the U.S. According to Koretz, Karelina tried to see her family in Russia at least once a year, usually around Christmas and New Year's. Koretz said Karelina flew to Russia from Istanbul in early January 2024 for a two-week trip to spend time with her 90-year-old grandmother, parents and younger sister. That's when she was arrested. What was she convicted of? Russia's Federal Security Service alleged that Karelina had been 'proactively' raising funds for a Ukrainian organization since February 2022 — money that it says was 'subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.' The First Department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stemmed from a $51.80 donation to a U.S. charity aiding Ukraine. The agency said she also took part in 'public actions' in the U.S. in support of Kyiv. Koretz said last year that Karelina actually was collecting funds for humanitarian aid and had made a donation to Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit that says it provides medical kits and disaster relief to those affected by Russia's invasion of the country. 'We're talking about diapers and formula, that's what she was collecting money for,' Koretz said. 'We're not talking about money for weapons.' What has the charity said? Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine, said in a statement Thursday that the charity's staff was overjoyed at the news of Karelina's release. Chomiak thanked President Donald Trump and his team for working to make it happen. 'She was unconscionably jailed for over a year for exercising the same freedoms that every American citizen holds, and that all Ukrainians are fighting to keep," the statement said. 'We're incredibly grateful that she's 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.' Who did the Americans release? Arthur Petrov, a Russian German, was freed by the U.S. as part of the prisoner swap in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, according to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, Russia's main security and counterintelligence agency. Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 at the request of the U.S. on charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia. He was extradited to the U.S. a year later.
