MOSCOW: Russia on Thursday (Apr 10) launched a twin citizen jailed for donating to a charity offering support to Ukraine in a swap with the USA for a German-Russian citizen accused of exporting delicate US electronics to be used in Russia’s navy.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Ksenia Karelina, who was discovered responsible final yr of treason by a Russian courtroom for donating cash to a US-based charity offering humanitarian assist to Ukraine, was on her approach house.
Her lawyer confirmed to Reuters that Karelina had been launched as a part of a swap for Arthur Petrov, a twin German-Russian citizen arrested in 2023 in Cyprus on the request of the US for allegedly exporting delicate microelectronics.
The Wall Road Journal first reported the information.
Central Intelligence Company (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe and a senior Russian intelligence official performed talks for the swap in Abu Dhabi, in response to a CIA official quoted by the Journal.
“Right this moment, President (Donald) Trump introduced house one other wrongfully detained American from Russia,” Ratcliffe stated in an announcement to the Journal.
“I am pleased with the CIA officers who labored tirelessly to assist this effort, and we admire the federal government of UAE for enabling the alternate.”
US trainer Marc Fogel was released from a Russian prison in February throughout a go to by Trump’s Center East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Salman and Russia’s sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev had been concerned within the negotiations.
In August final yr, the US and Russia carried out their biggest prisoner swap because the Chilly Struggle, with 24 prisoners gaining their freedom, together with US journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-US Marine Paul Whelan.
The Journal stated the CIA’s Ratcliffe had spoken to each Federal Safety Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov and International Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergei Naryshkin.
Karelina left for the US on a airplane from Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning, her Russian lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, stated.
The US Justice Division stated final yr that Petrov had participated in a scheme to obtain US-sourced microelectronics for producers supplying weaponry and different tools to the Russian navy.
The Justice Division stated that Petrov had fashioned an elaborate tech-smuggling syndicate which spirited delicate know-how to Russia’s military-industrial complicated by way of an online of shell corporations. Petrov was unavailable for remark.
