Boxer Chris Van Heerden, boyfriend of detained dancer and esthetician Ksenia Karelina, pleads for her release following her January arrest in Russia. Karelina holds dual U.S.-Russian citizenship and was arrested while visiting family in Yekaterinburg on treason charges related to an alleged $51 donation to a Ukrainian charity, according to colleagues. Friends have created a Change.org petition demanding her release and Van Heerden is sharing updates on his Instagram account.
This segment aired on KTLA 5 Weekend Morning News on Feb. 24, 2024.