Russian American ballerina Ksenia Karelina arrived back in the United States late Thursday following her release from a Russian jail as part of a prisoner swap with Moscow.
The 33-year-old’s plane touched down around 11 p.m. at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where she was met by her fiancé and presented with a bouquet of flowers from Morgan Ortagus, President Trump’s deputy special envoy to the Middle East.
The dual-citizen spa worker was accused of treason against the Russian government when she donated $51 to a charity that allegedly supported Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 — the day Russia invaded its neighbor.
Ksenia Karelina is surrounded by loved ones after arriving at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on April 10, 2025. REUTERS“They released the young ballerina and she is now out, and that was good. So we appreciate that,” Trump said at a Cabinet meeting Thursday.
Trump said Thursday her release followed conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US secured Karelina’s return in exchange for a Russian German Arthur Petrov, who was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 at the request of the US on charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia and extradited to the States a year later.
He was released Thursday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, according to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, Russia’s main security and counterintelligence agency.
In a statement, the CIA emphasized that this exchange “shows the importance of keeping lines of communication open with Russia, despite the deep challenges in our bilateral relationship.”
Ksenia Karelina steps off the plane after arriving at Joint Base Andrews. AP
Karelina embraces her boyfriend Chris Van Heerden during her return to the US. AFP via Getty ImagesThe swap comes as US and Russian diplomats met in Istanbul for a second round of talks “to finalize an understanding to ensure the stability of diplomatic banking for Russian and U.S. bilateral missions,” the State Department said.
Karelina lived in Maryland before moving to Los Angeles. She was arrested by Russian officials in January 2024 while on a month-long vacation visiting family in Yekaterinburg, about 1,000 miles east of Moscow.
She was charged with transferring “funds in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used for the purchase of tactical medicine items, equipment, means of defeat and ammunition by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The First Department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stemmed from a small $51.80 donation to a US charity providing aid to Ukraine.
Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony in August.
“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, professional boxer Chris van Heerden, said in a statement.
Karelina and Van Heerden take a moment for themselves after the highly anticipated return. AP
Ksenia Karelina poses with an American flag during her return trip after being freed from Russia. @sentdefender“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 celebrities who had championed her case, including UFC CEO and Trump pal Dana White.
Trump also credited White, too, saying the UFC boss had called him about the case.
The exchange was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Putin pardoned Karelina before the swap, according to the FSB, which released video of the dancer being escorted to a plane somewhere in Russia.
Karelina pooses with UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba during the prisoner exchange in Abu Dhabi on April 10, 2025. via REUTERSVideo from the agency appeared to show the exchange at the Abu Dhabi airport, with Petrov walking off a plane and shaking hands with Russian officials on the tarmac.
The video showed Petrov undergoing medical checkups on a flight to Russia. “I have no particular complaints, just a bit tired,” he said.
He was later filmed walking off a plane back in Russia.
With Post wires
