The Americans still in Russian custody after Ksenia Karelina release
Russia has released Ksenia Karelina, a Russian American who was imprisoned on treason charges after donating roughly $52 to a charity supporting Ukraine —charges Washington has dismissed.
Her release marks the latest development in a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges between the U.S. and Russia over the past three years.
Despite other recent diplomatic breakthroughs, several other Americans remain behind bars in Russia, facing a variety of charges that the U.S. government and human rights groups have frequently criticized.
Here's what to know:
Stephen Hubbard
A Michigan native, Hubbard was convicted in October 2024 of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine against Russian forces. Prosecutors claimed he joined Ukraine's military shortly after Russia invaded in February 2022 and was captured two months later. At 72, he became the first known American to be convicted for fighting on behalf of Ukraine. He was sentenced to six years and 10 months in prison.
Travis Leake
Leake, a musician and former U.S. paratrooper, was sentenced to 13 years in July 2024 on drug-related charges. He had lived in Moscow since 2010 and was the lead singer of the band Lovi Noch.
Gordon Black
An active-duty U.S. Army staff sergeant, Black was arrested in Vladivostok in May 2024 after traveling to Russia without authorization from his post in South Korea. He was convicted of theft and threatening his Russian girlfriend, initially receiving a three-year, nine-month sentence, later reduced to three years and two months.
Robert Woodland
A U.S. citizen born in Russia, Woodland was convicted of drug trafficking in July 2024 and sentenced to 12½ years. Russian media reported that he had traveled to Russia to find his birth mother, whom he eventually met through a local television program.
David Barnes
An engineer from Texas, Barnes was arrested in 2022 while visiting his children in Russia. He was accused of sexual abuse—allegations previously investigated and dismissed by Texas authorities. Nevertheless, a Russian court convicted him in February 2024 and sentenced him to 21 years.
Robert Gilman
A former U.S. Marine, Gilman was convicted in 2022 for assaulting a police officer after being removed from a train. Later, he was found guilty of additional assaults while incarcerated and sentenced in October 2024 to a total of seven years and one month.
Eugene Spector
A Russian-born American, Spector was sentenced to 15 years in December 2024 for espionage. Previously, he had received a 3½-year sentence in 2022 for bribery-related charges tied to his former role at a medical equipment firm.
Joseph Tater
Tater was arrested in August 2024 after a confrontation at a luxury hotel in Moscow. Initially sentenced to 15 days for hooliganism, he now faces more serious charges for allegedly assaulting a police officer. He claims the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding and has sought political asylum in Russia. A Moscow court recently ordered his placement in a psychiatric facility.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.