She came from Russia and had nothing but love.
When Russian-American ballerina Xenia Karelina got off a Maryland plane 15 months later in Grimm Russia's prison on Thursday, she landed in the waiting arm of her overjoyed but uneasy fiancee, champion boxer Chris Van Harden.
“I was so confused, overwhelmed and nervous,” Van Hilden told the Post about waiting for her to arrive Saturday.
“I've not been this nervous since I fought for a world title. I've never seen Xenia in 15 months, so I'm making all of these images in my head after she's in prison.
“People started to come out one by one. As she turned the corner, I looked at her, she looked at me. I saw her smile, I saw my Xenia. I was so relieved. When she held me, it was that. The nerves were gone.
“I whispered into her ear, I said, 'It's over,' recalled Van Haerden.
“She said nothing. I think it was very unrealistic to her. I said, 'I love you,' and she said, 'I love you,' and 'I love you too.' ”
The dual-civil dancer and spa workers were charged with treason against the Russian government on February 24, 2022, the day Russia invaded its neighbors when they donated $51 to a charity allegedly supported Ukraine. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The US has secured Karelina's return in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a German from Russia who was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 on the US's request for smuggling sensitive microelectronics into Russia. He was handed over to the state a year later.
“It all happened very quickly,” Van Hyan posted about the sudden release of Karelina.
Karelina was somewhat shocked and hadn't had enough sleep for 48 hours when she arrived in the US. She is currently at a military hospital in San Antonio, but could remain there for the next 7-10 days while she is being evaluated and given a soft re-entry.
Van Haerden was able to be with her for the first time at the facility. They lay in bed together for two hours, he said.
“It was just me and her, and it started to get a little messy with little talk,” he said. “I stayed quiet and let her talk. Before I knew it, she was in storytelling mode. I put my hands on her arm, and I felt the muscles and said, 'Oh my baby is so strong.'
“Her smile brightened and she bent me. …I almost cried.”
Aesthetician, Karelina had only had immediate requests a few times.
“Ice cream. She wanted ice cream. She wanted tweezers, so she 'can pick eyebrows' and a heel scraper.”
The couple wants to meet President Trump and thank him.
“Xenia made it clear that she wanted to wave,” Van Haerden said.
“We really need to thank him personally. She wants to meet him when the time is right. I want to shake his hand to get the love of my life back. And I have no interest in politics.
“I was begging the Biden administration for a year to get Xenia back. I realized that it wouldn't happen for about seven months. They don't do it for me.
Van Hyan said Karelina was particularly overcome by the warm welcome of the Americans.
“She's so kind and so loving. …She was in a prison where people were screaming and fighting. She couldn't be hugged in prison and she was overwhelmed by how much of a lovely person. [stateside]. ”
