Following a prisoner exchange that secured her release on Wednesday, Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina is currently “in transit,” according to her boyfriend, Christopher Van Heerden. The update was relayed to Karelina’s family by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on Thursday.

While the term “in transit” doesn’t definitively confirm her release, it often precedes a transfer to a Moscow-area prison, typically a step before release.

This news follows an unusual nine-day communication lapse between Karelina and her mother, who usually spoke daily since her imprisonment.

Karelina was detained in Yekaterinberg in February 2024 after donating $51 to a Ukrainian charity that provided funds to the Ukrainian military.

The U.S. government declared Karelina’s detention “wrongful” on Tuesday, coinciding with the release of American teacher Marc Fogel, who had spent over three years in Russian custody.

In exchange for Fogel’s release, a Trump administration official stated that the U.S. released a Russian national as part of the deal.

Van Heerden expressed cautious optimism regarding Karelina’s return, noting that President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler are all involved and actively working on her case.

“Movement is happening as we speak,” Van Heerden stated.