The US and Russia carried out a prisoner exchange in Abu Dhabi on Thursday that saw US-Russian dual national Ksenia Karelina released from a Russian prison in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a German-Russian national.

Axar.az reports, citing DW, Karelina's lawyer confirmed the news Thursday morning.

Karelina, a former ballet dancer, had been serving a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted in August 2024 of treason for donating around $50 to a charity benefiting Ukraine.

She had obtained US citizenship after moving to Los Angeles and was arrested in January 2024 after returning to Russia to visit family.