US-Russian dual national jailed on treason charges released in prisoner swap

Ksenia Karelina, also known as Ksenia Khavana, sits in a glass cage in a court room in Yekaterinburg, Russia (AP)

A US-Russian dual national jailed in Russia on treason charges was freed in a prisoner exchange with Washington, the woman’s lawyer and US secretary of state Marco Rubio said.

Ksenia Karelina, also identified in the media as Ksenia Khavana, is “on a plane back home to the United States”, Mr Rubio said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

She was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February 2024 and convicted of treason later that year on charges stemming from a donation of about 52 dollars (£40) to a charity aiding Ukraine.

US authorities have called the case against her “absolutely ludicrous”.

Ms Karelina, a former ballet dancer, reportedly obtained US citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles.

She was arrested when she returned to Russia to visit her family last year.

Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, said she “proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organisations, which was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces”.

The First Department, a Russian rights group, said the charges stemmed from a 51.80 dollar donation to a US charity aiding Ukraine.