US and Russia swap prisoners in deal arranged by intelligence agencies

Moscow releases Ksenia Karelina while Washington frees Arthur Petrov.

US-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina in a Sverdlovsk court in June 2024. Picture: AFP

Russia and the US carried out a prisoner swap on Thursday in Abu Dhabi in a sign of continuing confidence building, as the two sides pursue a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Russia released Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian dual national who was sentenced last year to 12 years in a penal colony after being found guilty in Russia of treason for donating less than $US100 ($162) to a US-based Ukrainian charity. In exchange, the US freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen, who was arrested in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the US for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe and a senior Russian intelligence official conducted the talks, according to a CIA official, pointing to deepening communications between the two countries’ intelligence agencies. Mr Ratcliffe was present at the Abu Dhabi airport, where the exchange took place, and greeted Ms Karelina as the US took custody of her.

“Today, President Trump brought home another wrongfully detained American from Russia,” Mr Ratcliffe said in a statement to the Journal. “I’m proud of the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort, and we appreciate the Government of UAE for enabling the exchange.”

Mr Ratcliffe has spoken by phone with Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, several times since becoming CIA director and has also spoken with Sergei Naryshkin, the chief of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, according to Russian government statements and people familiar with the matter.

Mr Bortnikov was involved in the negotiations that led to the release last year of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Senior Russian officials have often sought contact with the CIA director, whom they view as a serious interlocutor.

“The exchange shows the importance of keeping lines of communication open with Russia, despite the deep challenges in our bilateral relationship,” a CIA spokeswoman said. “While we are disappointed that other Americans remain wrongfully detained in Russia, we see this exchange as a positive step and will continue to work for their release.”

This is the second swap of detainees between Russia and the US since Mr Trump took office in January as the two sides seek to improve relations. Russia released American teacher Marc Fogel in February, during a visit by US envoy Steve Witkoff. Moscow at the time said Mr Fogel’s freedom would result in the release of a Russian held in the US.

Amid efforts by Mr Trump to fulfil a campaign promise of a quick peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin has been touting Washington’s apparent interest in normalising relations. Mr Trump has said he is frustrated with Russia for stalling over a ceasefire that Ukraine already agreed to, but has not put pressure on the Kremlin.

Though high-level diplomatic contacts suffered after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow and Washington tried to maintain a line of communication between their security services. Former President Joe Biden’s White House often used Mr Ratcliffe’s predecessor, Bill Burns, to convey sensitive messages to the Russian leadership via intelligence counterparts there.

The Wall Street Journal