American citizens have been released from Russian custody for prisoner swaps, US and Russian officials said Thursday in broader efforts by the two countries to repair relations.
American Xenia Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in Russia after being convicted of treason for donating about $50 to a nonprofit organization sending support to Ukraine. She also holds Russian citizenship.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that 33-year-old Carrerina was “on a plane back to the US.”
“She was illegally detained in Russia for over a year, and President Trump secured her release,” he wrote to X.
The Russian intelligence agency said Ms Karelina was released after receiving a presidential pardon in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a Russian and German citizen whom the Justice Department had indicted for export control violations.
The prisoner exchange highlighted how Moscow and Washington are willing to engage in meaningful diplomacy, as Trump administration-led talk about a potential ceasefire in Ukraine appears to be stagnant.
We and the Russian diplomats came when we met in Turkey and discussed practical measures to improve relations, such as resuming direct flights at the embassy and staffing levels.
The CIA said it played a key role in the swap. In a statement, the exchange was negotiated with other partners, including the United Arab Emirates, indicating “the importance of keeping the lines of communication with Russia open” despite the challenges.
“Today, President Trump brought back another US, illegally detained from Russia,” agency director John Ratcliffe said in a statement. “We are proud of the CIA executives who worked tirelessly to support this effort.”
It was not clear whether Thursday's exchange would mark an even more diplomatic breakthrough between the US and Russia. Despite the surge in high-profile meetings over the past few weeks, some key issues under discussion, such as the revival of diplomatic property and the future of sanctions, remain unresolved.
Karelina's detention was one of a series of incidents that raised fears that the Kremlin would attempt to use American citizens as exchange tips to exchange Russians held in the West. American basketball star Britney Griner and journalist Evan Gershkovich were released during the Biden administration in a famous prisoner swap.
In February, Russia agreed to release Mark Vogel, an American teacher who was jailed in Russia on drug charges. Vogel's release, which the Biden administration labeled as being in custody, was part of a contract with the Kremlin negotiated by Trump's special envoy by Middle Eastern envoy.
Instead, authorities said the US agreed to release Alexander Vinnik, a Russian man convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering. It was seen as an effort to establish goodwill as the Trump administration called for a way to bring about an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, which began more than three years ago.
Later that month, Russia released a US citizen who was arrested for drug smuggling fees at a Moscow airport 10 days ago.
Still, other Americans maintain custody of Russia, including Stephen Hubbard, a teacher at a school captured by Russia in Ukraine, where Washington is releasing.
The prisoner swap on Thursday was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, according to the Russian intelligence agency. The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a photo of Karelina's smile on Tarmac.
Her fiance, Chris Van Harden, said he was “overeigned” by the news. In a statement shared by Global Reach, an organization that has lobbyed on Carrelina's behalf, he expressed his gratitude to Trump and US officials.
Karelina, who lives in Los Angeles, was arrested last year while visiting her grandparents in Yekaterinburg, a city about 850 miles east of Moscow. The charges against her revolved around a one-off donation to Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit organization.
Petrov, 33, was detained in Cyprus in 2023 and later handed over to the United States. The Justice Department has accused him of a conspiracy to smuggle US microelectronics into Russian military factories that produce weapons for war in Ukraine.
In a video released by the Russian intelligence agency on Thursday, Petrov was seen on a plane undergoing healthy checks, saying, “It's okay, but I'm really tired.”
Julian E. Burns and Ismaile Naar contributed the report.
