AssetID: 54661320
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Ksenia Karelina Freed in Prisoner Exchange, Returns to the US After Treason Accusations in Russia
Caption: Ksenia Karelina Freed in Prisoner Exchange, Returns to the US After Treason Accusations in Russia. Ksenia Karelina, a former ballerina, was freed from Russian jail in a prisoner exchange and returned to the US after over a year of wrongful detention. The 34-year-old US-Russian citizen was arrested in Russia for donating £40 to a charity supporting Ukraine during its 2022 invasion. Karelina was accused of treason after Russian authorities found the donation on her phone, leading to a 12-year jail sentence. She was welcomed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, by her fiancé, professional boxer Chris van Heerden, and given flowers by Morgan Ortagus. Van Heerden expressed his joy, thanking figures like Donald Trump and UFC’s Dana White for advocating for her release. Karelina was arrested in Yekaterinburg while visiting family in February 2022 and later sentenced in a closed trial. Trump, in a cabinet meeting, confirmed the release, praising the Kremlin’s decision and noting conversations with President Putin. The charges against Karelina were linked to her $51.80 donation to the Razom charity, which aids Ukraine’s defense efforts. Her release is part of a broader pattern of prisoner exchanges between the US and Russia amid rising tensions over the war in Ukraine. Karelina’s case was considered "absolutely ludicrous" by Washington, with her return marking another successful diplomatic effort to free detained Americans. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Ksenia Karelina,prisoner exchange,Russia,treason,Ukraine donation,US-Russian citizen,Yekaterinburg,Donald Trump,Chris van Heerden,Dana White,Razom charity,US diplomacy,wrongful detention,Putin,American detainees,US-Russia relations,high-profile exchanges,prisoner swap,diplomatic efforts,Russia-US tensions,international relations,US citizens in Russia,human rights,political prisoners,international diplomacy,charity donations,Russian justice system.
PersonInImage: