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A former ballerina who spent more than a year in a Russian prison for having £ 40 to a charity supporting Ukraine returned to the US after being freed in a prisoner exchange.
Ksenia Karelina ended up at the joint base Andrews in Maryland at about 11pm on Thursday.
A smileing Ms Karelina was greeted on the runway by her fiancé, professional boxer Chris van Heerden, and given flowers by Morgan Orthagus, President Donald Trump’s Deputy specials for the Middle East.
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Ksenia Karelina arrives at the joint base Andrews. Pic: ap
Van Heerden said in a statement that he was “delighted to hear that the love of my life, Ksenia Karelina, is on my way home from unlawful detention in Russia.
“She endured a nightmare for 15 months and I can’t wait to hold her. Our dog, Boots, also eagerly awaits her return. ‘
He thanks Mr. Trump and his envoys, as well as prominent public figures who proposed her case, including Dana White, a friend of Mr. Trump and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Ms Karelina, 34, an American-Russian citizen who was also identified as Ksenia Khavana, was accused of high treason when she was arrested In Yekaterinburg, in southwest Russia, while visiting in February last year.
Investigators searched her cellphone and found that she had made a donation of $ 51.80 (£ 40) to Razom, a charity that helped help Ukraineon the first day of Russia’s invasion of 2022.
She acknowledged the charge during a closed hearing in the city in August last year and was later jailed for 12 years to serve in a penal colony.
Trump, who wants to normalize the relationship with Moscow, said at a cabinet meeting the Kremlin “released the young ballerina And she’s out now, and it was fine. So we appreciate it “.
Ksenia Karelina is embraced by her boyfriend, Chris van Heerden. Photo: Reuters
He said the release follows conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian security services have accused her of “proactively” raising money for a Ukrainian organization that provides equipment to Kyiv’s powers.
The first department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stem from a $ 51.80 donation to a US charity that helps Ukraine.
Washington, who called her case “absolutely ridiculous”, released Arthur Petrov, who held it on charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics for Russia in the prisoner in Abu Dhabi.
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Karelina was one of a growing number of Americans arrested in Russia over the past few years, as tensions between Moscow and Washington have risen over the war in Ukraine.
Her release is the latest in a series of high -profile prisoners Russia and the US that has been carried out for the past three years -and the second since Mr. Trump accepted the office.
White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said members of the Trump administration “continue to work all the time to ensure that Americans are being held abroad, return to their families.”
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