Russia released a Los Angeles spa worker yesterday sentenced to 12 years in jail for donating to a charity aiding Ukraine in exchange for a man accused of crafting a global smuggling ring to spirit sensitive US electronics to Russia’s military.
The exchange, which took place at Abu Dhabi airport, was confirmed by the US Central Intelligence Agency and Russia’s Federal Security Service, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.
Footage on Russian state media showed Ksenia Karelina, a dual citizen who was found guilty last year of treason by a Russian court for donating money to a US-based charity providing humanitarian support to Ukraine, flying out of Russia.
Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen arrested in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the US for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics, was shown entering a Russian plane from the tarmac at Abu Dhabi and undergoing medical check-ups.
“Petrov was exchanged for US citizen Ksenia Karelina, who also holds Russian citizenship and was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony for treason in the form of financial assistance to a foreign state,” the FSB said in a statement.
“We express our gratitude to the UAE leadership for their assistance,” the FSB said.
The Wall Street Journal said that the deal was negotiated by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and an unidentified senior Russian intelligence official.
&uuid=(email))