Latest news with #Russian-German
The Hill
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Former ballerina ‘really, really happy' since release from Russian prison
U.S.-Russian dual citizen Ksenia Karelina, a former ballerina, said she's been 'really, really happy' since she was released from Russia in a prisoner exchange in April. 'It feels amazing. It feels so great. And I'm just overwhelmed with feeling of happiness and gratitude now,' Karelina said in an exclusive interview on NewsNation's 'Cuomo,' when anchor Chris Cuomo asked how it feels to be back home. 'It's so great to feel this, like, sunshine on my skin, feel my loved one next to me, every morning and every night, and I'm just really, really happy now,' she added, gesturing to her boyfriend, Chris van Heerden, who joined her for the interview. Karelina was arrested in February 2024 in Yekaterinburg after returning to Russia to visit her family. A Russian court convicted her of treason for donating just north of $50 to a U.S.-based Ukrainian charity, and she was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The State Department, which previously determined Karelina had been wrongfully detained, announced in April that President Trump had 'secured her release' and that she was 'on a plane back home to the United States.' Karelina was released in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a dual Russian-German national. Trump met with Karelina in the Oval Office in May. The meeting was closed to press, but the White House posted footage, and the president could be heard telling the former ballet dancer, 'Congratulations. That's very nice. That's a great honor.'
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Who is Ksenia Karelina? American ballerina jailed in Russia over $52 donation, freed in Trump-led swap
, who was held in a Russian prison for over a year on treason charges, met President Donald Trump following her return to the United States. Her case drew widespread condemnation from human rights groups and US officials, who labelled the charges 'absolutely ludicrous. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ' Karelina, a 32-year-old dual US-Russian citizen, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February 2024 after reportedly donating just over $50 to a US-based charity that supported Ukraine. The Russian authorities accused her of aiding a foreign country against Russia's interests—a charge that led to her conviction for treason. Her release came as part of a carefully brokered exchange involving Arthur Petrov, a Russian-German man who had been detained in the US for attempting to smuggle restricted microelectronics to Russia. The swap took place in Abu Dhabi and included rare direct coordination between Russian and American intelligence and diplomatic services. President Trump confirmed her release and said, 'They released the young ballerina and she is now out, and that was good. So we appreciate that.' He later met with Karelina, an encounter that symbolised the second successful prisoner swap since Trump returned to office and resumed diplomatic engagement with Moscow. Her fiancé, professional boxer Chris van Heerden, expressed relief, saying she had 'endured a nightmare for 15 months.' He thanked Trump, the CIA, and figures like UFC president Dana White, who reportedly raised the case with the president directly. CIA Director John Ratcliffe credited US intelligence officers for their behind-the-scenes efforts, highlighting the importance of communication channels between Washington and Moscow. Who is Ksenia Karelina? Ksenia Karelina is a 32-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Russia. She was born in Russia but had been living in Los Angeles, where she worked in the beauty industry. Before moving to the US, she was a professional ballerina and lived in Maryland for some time. In early 2024, she travelled to Russia to visit her family and was arrested by Russian authorities. She was charged with treason after allegedly donating about $52 to a US-based charity that supported Ukraine. Russian officials claimed the donation amounted to support for the Ukrainian military, though human rights groups said the charge was based solely on that one donation. The US condemned the charges as politically driven and called the accusations 'absolutely ludicrous.' Karelina's fiancé, boxer Chris van Heerden, thanked President Trump and his team for helping to bring her home. Van Heerden described her ordeal as a '15-month nightmare' and said their dog, Boots, was also waiting for her. Karelina had been held in Yekaterinburg, a Russian city known for detaining foreign nationals. Her release came as part of a prisoner swap in which she was exchanged for Arthur Petrov, a Russian-German man convicted of smuggling in the US.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump meets with recently freed American ballerina in Oval Office
President Trump on Monday met in the Oval Office with an American ballerina who was released from a Russian prison earlier this year as part of an exchange. Trump spoke with Ksenia Karelina, a U.S.-Russian dual national who was detained last year on treason charges. The White House posted footage of the meeting, which was not opened up to members of the press. 'Congratulations. That's very nice. That's a great honor,' Trump can be heard telling Karelina. The president also asks how long Karelina was in prison. Karelina, a former ballet dancer, was arrested in February 2024 in Yekaterinburg and found guilty by a Russian court in August of treason for donating just north of $50 to a U.S.-based Ukrainian charity. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Karelina was released in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a dual Russian-German national. The State Department previously determined Karelina, also known by the surname Khavana, was wrongfully detained. She was arrested after going back to Russia to visit her family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump meets with recently freed American ballerina in Oval Office
President Trump on Monday met in the Oval Office with an American ballerina who was released from a Russian prison earlier this year as part of an exchange. Trump spoke with Ksenia Karelina, a U.S.-Russian dual national who was detained last year on treason charges. The White House posted footage of the meeting, which was not opened up to members of the press. 'Congratulations. That's very nice. That's a great honor,' Trump can be heard telling Karelina. The president also asks how long Karelina was in prison. Karelina, a former ballet dancer, was arrested in February 2024 in Yekaterinburg and found guilty by a Russian court in August of treason for donating just north of $50 to a U.S.-based Ukrainian charity. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Karelina was released in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a dual Russian-German national. The State Department previously determined Karelina, also known by the surname Khavana, was wrongfully detained. She was arrested after going back to Russia to visit her family.
eNCA
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- eNCA
Pianist to perform London musical marathon
LONDON - Classical Russian-German pianist Igor Levit takes to a London stage this week for an epic musical endurance test directed by the world-famous Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic. Levit is aiming to be the first person to solo play "Vexations", a single sheet of music repeated 840 times, in a public performance expected to last at least 16 hours. The audience at central London's Queen Elizabeth Hall will witness "silence, endurance, immobility and contemplation, where time ceases to exist", according to Abramovic on the venue's website. Written by Erik Satie in 1893, "Vexations" is described as "one of classical music's most simple, yet arduous and demanding works". Satie's manuscript included a composer's note instructing that it should be repeated 840 times, a feat which generally takes between 16-20 hours of continuous playing. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Levit livestreamed a "Vexations" performance from a Berlin studio. He also streamed dozens of "concerts" from his flat in the German city to highlight the challenges faced by artists during lockdown. Although numerous pianists playing in succession have succeeded in performing "Vexations" over the years, it has rarely been completed in its entirety by a single musician. Tickets have been priced from £32 for a one hour slot with others available for the full-length performance. Levit, who is a professor at Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, has released a dozen albums of classical works including Beethoven's complete piano sonatas and concertos by Brahms. Levit told The Guardian daily he'd "never tell an audience" what they should hope to experience. "But I would encourage people to just literally let it go. There is no agenda in this piece. There is no meaning to it," he said. "It's just empty space, so just dive into that and let go. That would be the dream," he added. Abramovic, 78, an art world icon, has earned worldwide acclaim for her work that has frequently tested her own physical and mental endurance. In one of her best known early works Rhythm O, Abramovic invited audiences to interact with her in any way they chose which resulted in a loaded gun being held to her head.
