The American citizen had been sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony for treason.
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AnAmericancitizendetainedinRussiawasreleasedonThursdayinanearlymorningprisonerexchange.
RussianauthoritiesarrestedKseniaKarelina,wholivesinLosAngeles,inearly2024duringavisittoseeher90-year-oldgrandmotherandotherfamilymembers.LawenforcementflaggedherattheairportafternotingshehadaU.S.passportandsearchedherphone,wheretheyfounda$51.80donationshemadetoRazom,apro-Ukrainecharity,in2022whileshewasintheStates.
Karelinawasinitiallyarrestedfor“pettyhooliganism.”Thegovernmentthenraisedthechargetotreason,forwhichshereceiveda12-yearsentencefollowingaclosed-doortrial.BorninYekaterinburg,Russia,sheimmigratedtotheU.S.in2012andbecameacitizenin2021.
“AmericanKseniaKarelinaisonaplanebackhometotheUnitedStates,”SecretaryofStateMarcoRubiosaidinastatementpostedonX.“ShewaswrongfullydetainedbyRussiaforoverayearandPresidentTrumpsecuredherrelease.@POTUSwillcontinuetoworkforthereleaseofALLAmericans.”
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