There certainly is no lack of news concerning U.S.-Russia relations these days, primarily focused — as it should be — on ending the war in Ukraine.

And amidst all of that, the fact that there has been no word of an imminent release of political hostages from Russia’s prison camps is not necessarily an indication that behind-the-scenes negotiations are not taking place. At least, we should hope they are.

In the meantime, I thought I’d search for any sort of update, and found an article concerning dual U.S.-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina, arrested in Russia in January of 2024 and sentenced in August to 12 years in prison . . . for making, while living in the United States, a $51 donation to a pro-Ukraine cause.

Karelina and her boyfriend, Chris Van Heerdan, had taken a vacation in Istanbul. Karelina reasoned that, as long as she was that close to her former Russian home, she should visit her younger sister and their aging grandparents. Against his better judgment, Van Heerdan returned home to Los Angeles, while Karelina went on to Yekaterinburg.

They haven’t spoken since.

She was detained on arrival for 16 hours; her passport and phone were taken from her and kept for three weeks. When she was told she could retrieve them, she was instead arrested for “hooliganism” — a vague charge commonly used as an excuse by Russian authorities to arrest someone who has done nothing illegal.

While searching her phone data, the authorities found a record of the $51 donation Karelina had made in 2022, and upgraded the charges against her to treason, saying she had “contribut[ed] to a secure, prosperous and democratic Ukraine” — an illegal act in Russia. [Kirsten Fleming, New York Post, February 24, 2025.]

From her letters, Van Heerdan has learned that Karelina has survived in prison by giving facial massages to other inmates, which has helped to improve her relationships with the women. “This is who Ksenia is,” he says. “She can walk into any room and anyone will love her because she’s just a bright uplifting, positive person. She is trying her very best to hang on.” [Id.]

Van Heerdan’s interview stressed his hope and belief that Donald Trump will be able to secure Karelina’s release in light of his improved relationship with Vladimir Putin. According to Van Heerdan:

“Russia released a statement on state broadcast TV and acknowledged, ‘We are in communication with America. They are seeking the release of Ksenia and are [sic] we are very much interested in making that happen.’ That is massive.” [Id.]

Van Heerdan says that statement was issued the week after the February 18th meeting in Saudi Arabia between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which has given Van Heerdan reason for optimism.

I hope he is right.

*. *. *

And we continue to remember all of those on our list of unjustly held hostages in Vladimir Putin’s GULAG of penal colonies:

David Barnes
Ales Bialiatski (in Belarus)
Gordon Black
Andrei Chapiuk (in Belarus)
Robert Gilman
Stephen James Hubbard
Ksenia Karelina
Ihar Karney (in Belarus)
Vadim Kobzev
Uladzimir Labkovich (in Belarus)
Michael Travis Leake
Aleksei Liptser
Ihar Losik (in Belarus)
Daniel Martindale
Farid Mehralizada (in Azerbaijan)
Nika Novak
Marfa Rabkova (in Belarus)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Eugene Spector
Valiantsin Stafanovic (in Belarus)
Siarhei Tsikhanouski (in Belarus)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland
Vladislav Yesypenko (in Crimea)
Yuras Zyankovich (in Belarus)

*. *. *

And — like a broken record — I again offer this plea to Donald Trump in the White House . . . though I fear it will likely continue to fall on deaf ears, as it has thus far:

“Amidst all of the hubbub of your new administration, it is imperative that these innocent men and women not be forgotten. Negotiations for their safe release have been underway for some time. President Joe Biden succeeded in bringing home 16 innocent people on August 1st of last year, and you have added two others to that list. But you should be trying to do even more. Whatever else you do, this should be high on your list of priorities. The people you promised to represent are counting on you.

“Perhaps this would be an appropriate time to remind you also of the oath you swore on January 20th:

“‘I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.’

“I’m sure there’s a copy of that Constitution lying around the White House. If not, you can Google it. This is what it looks like, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/23/25