Latest news with #RussianGerman
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.
Los Angeles Times
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. woman, a U.S.-Russia dual national, freed in a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Moscow freed a Russian American convicted of treason in exchange for a Russian German man jailed on smuggling charges in the U.S., a prisoner swap that was completed Thursday as the two countries met to repair ties. Ksenia Karelina is 'on a plane back home to the United States,' U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on social media platform 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.' Arthur Petrov was released as part of a swap in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, according to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, Russia's main security and counterespionage agency. Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 at the request of the U.S. on charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia and extradited to the U.S. a year later. Karelina was among a growing number of Americans arrested in Russia in recent years as tensions between Moscow and Washington spiked over the war in Ukraine. Her release is the latest in a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges Russia and the U.S. carried out in the last three years — and the second since President Trump took office and reversed Washington's policy of isolating Russia in an effort to end the war in Ukraine. Russian and U.S. diplomats met Thursday in Istanbul for another round of talks on improving diplomatic ties. The discussions ended after six hours without statements from the delegations, the Tass and RIA Novosti state news agencies reported. In February, Russia released American teacher Marc Fogel, imprisoned on drug charges, in a swap that the White House described as part of a diplomatic thaw that could advance peace negotiations. That same month, Russia released another American just days after arresting him on drug smuggling charges. Karelina, a former ballet dancer also identified in some media as Ksenia Khavana, lived in Maryland before moving to Los Angeles. She was arrested when she returned to Russia to visit her family last year. The FSB accused her of 'proactively' collecting money for a Ukrainian organization that was supplying gear to Kyiv's forces. The First Department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stemmed from a $51.80 donation to a U.S. charity aiding Ukraine. Karelina's lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said on Instagram that she had been in touch with her family since her release. 'I am overjoyed to hear that the love of my life, Ksenia Karelina is on her way home from wrongful detention in Russia,' Karelina's fiancé, Chris van Heerden, said in a statement. 'She has endured a nightmare for 15 months and I cannot wait to hold her. Our dog, Boots, is also eagerly awaiting her return.' He thanked Trump and his envoys, as well as prominent public figures who had championed her case. White House national security advisor Mike Waltz said on X that 'President Trump and his administration continue to work around the clock to ensure Americans detained abroad are returned home to their families.' The exchange was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Karelina was headed to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, according to a person familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss her case. The United Arab Emirates' state-run WAM news agency released photos of Karelina boarding a plane and one of her standing next to Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the U.S. The FSB, which said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had pardoned Karelina before the swap, released a video that showed her being escorted to a plane somewhere in Russia. The footage then featured what appeared to be the scene of exchange at the Abu Dhabi airport, with Petrov walking off a plane and shaking hands with Russian officials on the tarmac. The same video showed Petrov undergoing medical checkups on a flight to Russia. 'I have no particular complaints, just a bit tired,' he said. Petrov was accused by the U.S. Justice Department of involvement in a scheme to procure microelectronics subject to U.S. export controls on behalf of a Russia-based supplier of critical components for the country's weapons industries. He was facing a 20-year prison term in the U.S. Abu Dhabi was the scene of another high-profile prisoner swap between Russia and the United States. In December 2022, American basketball star Brittney Griner was traded for the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. The UAE has been a mediator in prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine, while the skyscraper-studded city of Dubai has become home to many Russians and Ukrainians who fled there after the start of Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Gambrell and Litvinova write for the Associated Press. Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed.
