Russia released Ksenia Karelina, an American dual American-Ruso Sentenced to 12 years in prison By betrayal in August of last year, in a new exchange of prisons on Thursday. The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, confirmed his launch in a publication on social networks on the early Thursday, but did not offer information about the terms of its launch.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the launch of Karelina, saying that it was released in an exchange organized by the intelligence agencies of the two countries, and a CIA official then told CBS News that the agency had played a government in the treatment.
“The American Ksenia Karelina is on a plane back to the United States,” Rubio said in her position. “Russia arrested her erroneously for more than a year and President Trump assured her liberation.”
The plane landed around 11 PM EDT at the Andrews joint base in Maryland, where she was received by several people, including her boyfriend, the professional boxer Chris Van Heerden. In a moving moment, Karelina and Van Heerden had a long hug.
Kevin Mohatt / Reuters 
In a statement published for the first time by the magazine and later provid CBS News, the director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, said: “President Trump brought home to another American unjustly detained from Russia,” and added his praise for praise by the pull of his feet, the finger of the head, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet, the feet color treasured. Abu Dhabi’s emirate, who said he had allowed the exchange. The exchange of the two detainees was made in Abu Dhabi.
Eau Foreign Ministry through Reuters 
Ratcliffe was directly involved in the negotiations, which he made with an unidentified Russian intelligence officer, the CIA said.
Higher level communication indicates a deepening of the Trump administration efforts to improve Moscow ties. Trump has been pressing both Russia and Ukraine to negotiate a peace agreement to end the three years War caused by continuous large -scale invasion of Russia Or your neighbor.
In exchange for Karelina, who lives in California, the CIA official confirmed that the United States had released Arthur Petrov, a German-Ruso-Ruso Nacional in Cyprus 2023 at the request of the US authorities. According to the Journal, he was being a hero about accusations of export of sensitive microelectronics.
“Much of the exchange was negotiated by the United States government, with the CIA playing a key role with Russian intelligence,” said a CIA spokesman on Thursday, adding: “The exchange shows the importance of maintaining the lines of the positions, despite” despite “despite” despite “despite” despite “despite” despite “despite” despite “in spite
Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in a Russian criminal colony after being guilty of betrayal. She was arrested during the visit to Russia for donating around $ 51 to a humanitarian group based in the United States that was helping Ukrainians affected by the war, according to Russian state media.
His lawyers said he acknowledged transferring the funds, he thought he did not admit that he intentionally directed them to organizations that they could have the money for the actions against Russia. He did not expect his donation to end up supporting anti -rushing activities, according to his lawyers.
Van Heerden He told CBS News Last year he had made the little donation in 2022, “exercising his rights to the first amendment,” and added that “he has not done anything.”
Van Heerden said he was restless about Karelina’s decision to return to Russia for a visit, given the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, but said that “he did not care in the world” and that she had assured that it would be healthy, citizen.
“She wanted to go home.
Forcing to fulfill his desire to visit his home, from Heerden he said that he bought a plane ticket as a birthday gift, and the couple first traveled together to Istanbul. Originally he intended to travel with her to Russia from there, but she felt comfortable, so she traveled to Russia alone, and returned to Los Angeles.
Russia imprisoned several Americans as tension with Washington shot in the midst of accumulation, and any large -scale war in Ukraine. Paul WhelanWall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and professor Marc Fogel All were designated poorly detained as Karelina and released in previous swaps of prisoners with Moscow.
Among the citizen of the United States still imprisoned in Russia is the sergeant of the US Army personnel. Black GordonWhose imprisonment of three years and nine months for stealing and threatening his Russian girlfriend was reduced earlier this week for seven months by a Russian court.
Robert Gilman, 72, currently celebrates a sentence of 3 1/2 years in Russia to attack a police officer, and Lake TravisA musician sentenced for drug positions, was sentenced to 13 years in prison last summer.
A Russian court Sentenced to another 72 -year -old AmericanStephen Hubbard, almost seven years in prison in October for fighting with the military of Ukraine.
Joseph Tater46, he is still waiting for his trial for allegedly assaulting a Russian police officer at a Hotel in Moscow. He was involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital on the weekend, according to Russian state media.
Analisa Novak and Emmet Lyon contributed to this report.