Russia and the United States conducted a prisoner swap early Thursday in Abu Dhabi, signaling ongoing confidence-building efforts as both countries pursue a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
As part of the exchange, a Russian-American woman freed by Moscow arrived in the U.S. later Thursday, marking another step in efforts to improve relations between the two nations. Ksenia Karelina, a former Russian detainee, landed at Joint Base Andrews around 11 p.m. EDT, where she was welcomed by her fiancé. Morgan Ortagus, who served as President Donald Trump’s deputy special envoy to the Middle East, presented Karelina with a bouquet.
Earlier in the day, Karelina was released by Russian authorities in exchange for a Russian-German man who had been imprisoned in the U.S. on smuggling charges. Karelina was detained in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in February 2024 and convicted of treason for donating approximately $52 to a charity supporting Ukraine. U.S. officials described the charges as “absolutely ludicrous.”
“They released the young ballerina and she is now out, and that was good. So we appreciate that,” said President Trump at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, adding that the release followed discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Arthur Petrov, a man arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 at the request of the U.S., was also part of the swap. Petrov faced charges in the U.S. for allegedly smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia and was extradited to the U.S. a year later. According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Petrov was released as part of the agreement.
Karelina is one of many Americans arrested in Russia amid increasing tensions between Moscow and Washington, which have escalated due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Her release adds to a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges that Russia and the U.S. have facilitated over the past three years. This marks the second swap since Trump took office, reversing the U.S.’s previous policy of isolating Russia in a bid to end the conflict in Ukraine.
