Former US ballerina who was freed from 12-year Russian jail sentence speaks out about how trauma ‘changed her life’

A former ballerina who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia has spoken out about her 'hard' experience before being freed in a prisoner exchange with the US.

Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian citizen, was arrested in Yekaterinburg, in southwestern Russia, in February 2023 after being accused of treason.

Investigators searched her phone and found that in February 2022, she had made a donation to a charity that provides aid to Ukraine.

The donation took place on the first day Vladimir Putin launched his invasion on the neighboring country. The former ballerina admitted to the charge in a closed trial and was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony.

Thankfully, however, she was able to return to the US a little over a year after her arrest through a prisoner swap, which saw her land in Maryland in April.

Karelina was ordered to spend time in a penal colony (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

A few weeks on, Karelina has now opened up about her experience in a new interview with NewsNation's Chris Cuomo.

The 33-year-old spoke about how the arrest and imprisonment 'took a lot' from her both mentally and physically, but she expressed belief that it 'gave [her] a lot too'.

She admitted the ordeal 'changed [her] life', and is now focusing on the positive things she can take away from it.

"I feel like I just get stronger in my values and believing in kindness and love," she said. "I strongly believe that this is what is going to help the world to get better. [Love and kindness] is what is going to drag you through the darkest places, darkest times of your life."

Throughout her time at the penal colony, which is a settlement intended to separate prisoners from the general population, such as an island, Karelina credited her boyfriend Chris Van Heerden as her 'biggest supporter'.

Ksenia said the experience was 'hard' (NewsNation)

"He helped me so much through all this and keep the smile on my face," she said.

Van Heerden advocated for Karelina's release and greeted her when she arrived back in Maryland in April, having described her ordeal as a 'nightmare'.

In the new interview, he told Cuomo that 'love wins no matter what'.

“I believe everyone would have done what I did if they were in my position," he said. "I also don’t want people to forget what she’s been through, she is so strong.”

Karelina added: “Thanks to Chris, I have the ability to take things slow, but I would really love to help people get through dark places because it was hard, I went through that, and I now know some tools to get through hard things."