The United States and Russia carried out a high-profile prisoner exchange in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, marking the second such swap in less than two months. Among those released was Ksenia Karelina, a U.S. resident who had been imprisoned in Russia on charges of treason.
Russia and the U.S. carried out a prisoner swap early Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Ksenia Karelina, an amateur ballerina and Los Angeles resident, had been in prison in Russia for over a year after being arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg in early 2024. She had previously spent over a decade in a Russian prison after making a donation of just over $50 to a New York-based charity offering humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Her contribution was deemed an act of treason, leading to a 12-year sentence behind bars.
She is now released and heading back to the U.S. as part of a prisoner exchange for Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen. Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in 2023 and later extradited to the United States. He was accused of illegally exporting microelectronics to Russia for manufacturers linked to the Russian military, and faced charges including export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Karelina’s release on X, stating that U.S. President Trump secured her freedom after she was wrongfully held by Russia. He added that the president’s efforts to free all detained Americans are ongoing. Around 10 other U.S. citizens remain imprisoned in Russia.
According to officials, the prisoner swap took place in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the exchange, stating that Abu Dhabi was chosen due to the “close friendship between both countries and the United Arab Emirates.” The ministry expressed hope that the exchange would help ease tensions and promote dialogue for greater regional and global stability. This marks the second prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S. in under two months.
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Qatar has confirmed that seven people, including four of its military personnel and three Turkish nationals, were killed on Sunday (22 March) when a helicopter crashed in the country’s territorial waters.
Georgia bid farewell to Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II on Sunday (22 March). He was considered one of the most influential spiritual leaders in the country’s modern history.
Palestinians have reported a surge in attacks by Israeli settlers on homes, vehicles, and residents across the West Bank, amid growing international criticism.
Belgium has marked the 10th-anniversary of the 2016 Brussels terror attacks, remembering the victims of the country’s deadliest peacetime attack and reflecting on changes to national security.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. was considering "winding down" its military operation against Iran, as Iran and Israel traded attacks on Saturday (21 March) and Iranian media said the nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz had been attacked.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that American forces could target Iranian power plants if the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and Iran, in return, warned that any attack on its energy infrastructure would trigger strikes on regional facilities.
Slovenia heads to the polls on Sunday (22 March) in a closely contested race between incumbent Prime Minister Robert Golob and right-wing former Prime Minister Janez Janša.
Italy is voting on 22 and 23 March in a judicial reform referendum that could reshape the justice system and test Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s political strength ahead of the 2027 general election.
Iceland could reopen talks on joining the European Union after a 13-year pause, as shifting security concerns and renewed economic debate bring EU membership back to the centre of national politics.
Qatar has confirmed that seven people, including four of its military personnel and three Turkish nationals, were killed on Sunday (22 March) when a helicopter crashed in the country’s territorial waters.
Belgium has marked the 10th-anniversary of the 2016 Brussels terror attacks, remembering the victims of the country’s deadliest peacetime attack and reflecting on changes to national security.
A drone attack on a hospital in East Darfur, Sudan, has killed at least 64 people and injured 89 more, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Saturday.
Cuba’s national power grid went down on Saturday, cutting electricity for millions, officials said. The outage marks the second nationwide blackout in a week and the third major grid failure in March.
A British nuclear-powered submarine armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles has reportedly taken up position in the Arabian Sea, the Daily Mail reported on Saturday (21 March). The deployment gives the UK the ability to carry out long-range strikes if tensions in the Gulf escalate.
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