Chris Van Heedan was waiting for his girlfriend, Xenia Karelina, to return from a trip to Russia to make a proposal.
Instead, South African boxers have fought for the past 13 months for the liberties of Russian-American dual civilians and a return to a safe US.
“I was going to pop the question,” the emotional Van Heedan, 37, told the Post. “But my plan went off track.”
Karelina, 33, amateur ballerina and esthetician wasted in Russian prisons, giving 12 years in treason for a $51 donation to a US-based charity that benefits Ukraine. I'm advertising it.
The two have not spoken since January 27th, 2024. They ran on a romantic trip to Isdambul in 2024, and then she visited the family of Yekaterinberg, Russia for a month.
“The problem is that she didn't do this in Russia as a Russian citizen. She did this in America as an American citizen,” he said of a small donation made in 2022.
Van Hairden and his best friend, “The Lonely Survivor,” director Peter Berg, talk about this lingering nightmare and their new hope in a post about their new hope sparked by the new Trump administration. I did.
“I am very optimistic and positive about the new administration under President Trump and I believe he will be able to achieve that soon,” Van Haerden said.
“My message is simple. Xenia is proud to be an American citizen and I love America so much. I ask President Trump to bring Xenia home. She's doing well. And being in prison every day is more than a day to recover from this nightmare. Take Xenia home.”
He also spoke of how Karelina survives in prison by giving other inmates a facial massage.
“This is Xenia. She can enter any room and everyone will love her. She's doing her best.”
“She knew I was fighting and said, 'One of the things that keep me positive is the fact that you know you're fighting for me.' ”
There was also an active turn of events in the release of American school teacher Mark Vogel earlier this month and Russian media, who recognized Karelina as a US citizen.
“Russia issued a statement on the state's broadcast television and confirmed that “we are communicating with the United States.” They are looking for a release of Xenia and we are very interested in making it happen. It's huge,” Van Heldan said.
Last week, he met Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, saying that he had shown dramatic diplomatic changes with Trump and that he would normally ties between the US, Russia and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Ukraine. He worked to end the bloody war.
“Immediately after that meeting [the Russians] Van Heedan said.
In addition to consultations, Vogel, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for possessing a ounce of medical marijuana in a Russian prison, was released by the Kremlin in a prisoner swap. He was detained for three and a half years.
“When I see Mark Vogel coming back, it gives me a lot of hope to know this is a good start. It's possible to get the prisoners back.”
But Vogel's homecoming – captured with the touching image of him kissing the ground as he got off the plane – sparked mixed emotions for his boxer.
“I'm not going to lie, said Van Heldan, who said he was a lawyer for his Russian girlfriend and an intermediary for the State Department.
He said the Biden administration, which he praised, “If anyone comes back, she's Xenia because she's not a crime.”
He tries not to stick to disappointment, instead becoming stronger for Karelina and communicating through letters. She has recently fainted and taken to hospital, so he is worried about her mental and physical health.
Meanwhile, Van Herdan tries to convince Karelina not to travel to Russia for the war with Ukraine, and feels guilty for reluctantly buying a plane ticket. Karelina hasn't been home since 2021, so she wanted to see her sister and her older grandparents.
When she arrived he said she was flagged and held for 16 hours. Authorities kept their phone and passport for three weeks. When she was told that everything was okay, she went to collect her belongings, but was arrested for “Hooliganism.”
They upgraded the charges to treason after finding a bank transaction for donations to Charity Razom.
In August, she was sentenced to 12 years.
In the meantime, her loved ones are walking along unstable lines. They want to ensure that her story is there, but they need to keep their emotions under control and be careful not to say anything that could hurt her shots and be free .
“It's a chess game. It's a political chess game,” Van Heldan added that he has not publicly shared much of what she writes to him.
Berg said he wanted people to not lose their humanity and said, “While this twisted game is unfolding.” [its important] That people remember her. That this young girl is in a really rough place. She is suffering and we really want to go back to her house. ”
He said they were “thanks” for Rubio, J.D. Vance and President Trump's efforts.
And Van Heldan feels that there has been a big change.
“For the first time in 13 months, we feel very close to going back to her house.”
