Russia has extradited Ksenia Karelina to the United States, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia for raising funds for the Ukrainian armed forces. The Wall Street Journal reports that the director of the CIA has already met her.
Ksenia Karelina is a dual citizen of the United States and Russia. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia last year for donating about $ 100 to a Ukrainian charity operating in the United States. This act was qualified as treason in Russia.
The plane carrying her is already flying to the United States.
In response, the United States released Artur Petrov, a dual citizen of Germany and Russia, who was arrested in Cyprus in 2023 at the request of the United States on charges of illegally exporting sensitive microelectronics.
A CIA official said the prisoner swap demonstrates the importance of maintaining dialogue between the United States and Russia. It is also seen as a sign of confidence building in pursuing an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
