Russia, US exchange prisoners in UAE

Russia released US-Russian dual national Ksenia Karelina in a prisoner exchange with the United States early April 10 in Abu Dhabi, the Wall Street Journal noted, citing sources familiar with the matter, Report informs.

Karelina was reportedly swapped for Arthur Petrov, a German-Russian dual national arrested in Cyprus in 2023 at the request of US authorities for allegedly exporting sensitive US-made microelectronics to Russia.

Karelina, a resident of Los Angeles, was arrested in January 2024 while visiting family in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. She was initially charged with “petty hooliganism,” but authorities later accused her of treason, saying she had donated around $50 to a Ukrainian charity.

In August, a Russian court sentenced Karelina to 12 years in prison. Her appeal was denied in the fall.