Russia and the United States exchanged prisoners again. The main thing
On the morning of April 10, Russia and the United States exchanged prisoners at Abu Dhabi airport: Moscow handed over Ksenia Karelina, who was serving time for treason, and Washington handed over Artur Petrov, who was arrested for circumventing sanctions. He was facing 20 years in prison in the United States for violating the Export Control Act. The main facts about the exchange are in the Izvestia material.
What is known about the exchange
• The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the exchange of prisoners as part of a deal concluded with the help of special services. The negotiations on the American side were conducted by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and on the Russian side by an unnamed senior intelligence official. The exchange took place at Abu Dhabi Airport.
• The FSB posted a video of the exchange and thanked the UAE for its assistance. The Kremlin declined to comment. It is known that Ksenia Karelina was pardoned by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in April.
This is the second prisoner exchange in two months. On February 11, Moscow released former American diplomat Mark Vogel, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for drug smuggling and trafficking. Washington, in turn, pardoned Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik. He was accused of money laundering through an online cryptocurrency exchange.
What is known about Ksenia Karelina
• Ksenia Karelina was born in Russia, according to American media reports, she emigrated to the United States in 2012, and became a citizen in 2021. Karelina lived in Los Angeles, and in February 2024 she went to Yekaterinburg to visit relatives. There she was detained by FSB officers.
• Ksenia Karelina was accused of transferring funds to support Ukrainian armed groups. The court found that on February 24, 2022, Karelina independently transferred money to one of the largest NGOs supporting Ukraine. Later, these funds were used to purchase tactical medical care, equipment, as well as weapons and ammunition for the Ukrainian army.
• According to the investigation, Karelina also participated in actions in support of Ukraine. As explained by her lawyer Mikhail Mushailov, the FSB officers allegedly found a confirmation of the transaction in her mobile phone. The money was sent to a Ukrainian foundation organized by Ukrainians in the United States. This organization, which has branches in Kiev, Lviv, New York and Washington, is raising funds for humanitarian needs and technical equipment for the Ukrainian military.
• In August 2024, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court found Karelina guilty of high treason in the form of providing financial assistance to a foreign state. She was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a general regime colony. The prosecutor's office requested a 15-year sentence.
What is known about Petrov
• Artur Petrov, a 33-year-old citizen of Russia and Germany, was detained in Cyprus in August 2023 at the request of the American authorities. According to the US Department of Justice, from February 2022 to August 2023, Petrov, together with two accomplices, organized the purchase of a large batch of electronic products from US companies for the Russian company Electrocom MIC. The company specializes in the supply of equipment for the defense industry.
• According to the prosecutors, in order to disguise the final recipient of the products, the participants in the scheme allegedly used companies registered in countries not directly related to Russia. In the summer of 2024, Petrov was extradited to the United States.
• The Russian was charged with 11 counts. The maximum penalty for some of them is up to 20 years in prison. In total, he faced up to 160 years in prison.
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