CNN —When dual US-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina boarded a flight from Istanbul to Russia in January, the last thing on her mind was that she would find herself behind bars weeks later on treason charges, her boyfriend told CNN’s Brianna Keilar Wednesday.
She went on to Russia, while he returned to California - and that’s when he discovered she had been detained.
Russian authorities took her cell phone then released her and she was able to see her family and contact him.
Despite it all Van Heerden said he was hopeful the US would not give up on her.
Ksenia Karelina's boyfriend said she had for years been a "semi-pro" ballerina.
Persons:
Ksenia Karelina, CNN’s Brianna Keilar, Karelina “, ”, Chris Van Heerden, Karelina, Van Heerden, Ksenia, ” Karelina, Ukraine –, “, Nick Starichenko, Shutterstock, Andrei Soldatov, Evan Gershkovich’s, Vladimir Putin, Vadim Krasikov, ” Putin, Tucker Carlson
Organizations:
CNN, Angeles, Federal Security Service, Russia, Russia’s Federal Security Service, Court, Wall Street
Locations:
Russian, Istanbul, Russia, Yekaterinburg, California, Karelina, Ukrainian, Ukraine, America, Moscow, Germany, Chechen, Berlin, United States